Luke Hillier is a Virginia Beach native and chair of the board of Atlantic Diving Supply (ADS, Inc.), a military and tactical equipment supplier.

A $3M gift from the Hillier Ignite Foundation helped establish the Luke Hillier Cancer Research Alliance; a partnership among the Sentara Health Research Center, the Sentara Brock Cancer Center, the Sentara Foundation, Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and Virginia Oncology Associates.

The gift will help advance oncology research through collaboration. Patients in Hampton Roads will have access to the latest in clinical trials, with a focus on health equity and outcomes.

The Sentara Brock Cancer Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 1 to honor the Hillier family and the members of the Alliance. Attending the ceremony was Adam Casagrande, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of ADS, who spoke candidly about how cancer has impacted his life and the life of the Hillier family, spurring Mr. Hillier’s decision to invest in the Cancer Alliance.

The importance of cancer research in the treatment of cancer is fundamental to improving outcomes by finding new and better ways to treat cancer. Every new treatment first began as a research study. This Cancer Alliance will provide expanded access to early phase clinical trials, translational research and biospecimen banking opportunities.

For information on how to donate to or apply for funds from the Luke Hillier Cancer Research Alliance, email research@sentara.com.