Building a future where hope grows
January 8, 2026
Dr. Naoto Ueno, Director of the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, and his wife Miwa Ueno are leaving a legacy reaching far beyond their own lifetimes. The couple has announced an estate gift to the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation to establish the Michiko, Miwa, and Naoto Ueno Memorial Fund, an endowed fund that will provide, into the distant future, unrestricted support for the Cancer Center’s greatest needs.
The gift reflects a deeply personal journey, shaped by family and a shared commitment to the future of cancer care in Hawaiʻi.
A legacy rooted in kuleana
“This gift comes from gratitude and responsibility — a deep sense of kuleana, our shared obligation to give back to the community that has welcomed us so warmly,” says Dr. Ueno. “We are grateful for the care and hope we’ve experienced through the Cancer Center, and we feel a responsibility to help ensure future generations in Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific will have access to even stronger cancer care and research.”
The fund is named for Miwa’s mother, Michiko Ueno, whose success in international business helped make the gift possible; Miwa, whose values shape the couple’s vision; and Naoto, whose life’s work has been dedicated to advancing cancer research and care. Together, the names represent a legacy of compassion and community.
Though originally from Japan, the Uenos now call Hawaiʻi home. “The fund’s name carries deep meaning,” he says. “Each name reminds us that cancer care is never just about science or medicine: it’s about people, their stories and the legacy we leave behind.”
A future of bold leadership
As director, Dr. Ueno has led transformative efforts to expand clinical trials, increase access for patients across the islands and elevate the Cancer Center’s research excellence. This gift, he says, is an extension of that mission.
The Michiko, Miwa, and Naoto Ueno Memorial Fund will empower the Cancer Center to respond to its most pressing needs, ensuring flexibility, timeliness and impact.
Dr. Ueno says, “Our hope is that this fund will empower the Cancer Center for years to come, supporting groundbreaking research, expanding clinical trials, and opening doors to education and outreach. We want this legacy to give the Center the courage to stay bold and innovative — unafraid to lead.”
The Uenos hope this gift will be seen as a reflection of trust, in the people who dedicate their lives to discovery, compassion, and healing; in a community who deserves the very best care close to home; and in the belief that together, we can build a future where disparities lessen and hope grows.
A collective effort to save lives
Dr. Ueno says the most affirming moments in his tenure have been those where science and humanity meet: when a therapy moves from lab to trial, when a patient receives care without leaving the islands, and when a student finds their calling in research.
“I am a survivor of myelodysplastic syndrome — a form of blood cancer — and sarcoma, a rare cancer that develops in bones or soft tissues,” says Dr. Ueno. “I do not want anyone in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific to go through the same suffering I went through. And the only way to cure cancer is through research.”
Read the original published story on the UH Foundation website.
