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Karlene Beams, Lois Callahan, and Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D.
VFW Auxiliary Donates $25,000 to UAMS Cancer Research
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute recently received a $25,000 donation from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) Auxiliary to support cancer research.
As Arkansas’ only academic cancer center, the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute supports groundbreaking research in cancer biology, prevention and population sciences, and therapeutics, bringing the latest advances in cancer care to the state.
Each year, the VFW Auxiliary distributes funding to different cancer institutes across the country. As national president of the VFW Auxiliary for 2025-2026, Lois Callahan of Little Rock selected the UAMS Cancer Institute as a recipient of support.
A retired pediatric occupational therapist, Callahan has been a member of the Auxiliary since 1990 and has served the organization in numerous leadership roles. She is a life member of the Jack E. Smoot/Ralph G. King Auxiliary 2278 in Hot Springs and is dedicated to supporting veterans, military families, and community causes.
Callahan and Karlene Beams, who served as national chief of staff for the Auxiliary during Callahan’s presidency, presented the check on Aug. 5 to Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor of UAMS and director of the Cancer Institute.
“We are deeply grateful to the VFW Auxiliary for this generous investment in our mission,” Birrer said. “Community support for cancer research allows us to invest in new approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options that improve outcomes for cancer patients.”
For Callahan, choosing the UAMS Cancer Institute reflected her desire to support research that benefits patients in her home state.
“Cancer touches everyone,” she said. “We make a huge effort to give to different states across the country. Recipients for a portion of the donations are for the president to decide, and that’s why this year’s came to UAMS.”
Beams noted the Auxiliary’s support of cancer research is made possible through member contributions through annual dues. Beyond that, the organization also provides cancer grants for members who are diagnosed with cancer to support treatment-related expenses.
This mission is personal for the two friends, who shared that Beams is a cancer patient with an exceedingly rare form of cancer, reflecting on the importance of supporting research that can lead to advances in cancer care.