SCHEQ Foundation Calls for Strategic Support to Advance STEMM and Cancer Health Equity

The SCHEQ Foundation welcomes urgent support to expand its mission of increasing STEMM diversity and improving cancer care outcomes for historically underserved communities.

/EIN News/ -- New York, New York, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Eugene Manley, PhD

The STEMM & Cancer Health Equity (SCHEQ) Foundation issues a call for funding, investment, and partnerships to expand its work in addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities. This Black-led nonprofit based in New York City develops innovative solutions to dismantle systemic barriers that limit entry into Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) careers for historically excluded groups and equitable access to high-quality care.

This appeal comes at a pivotal moment. With a call for $1 million in funding and investment, SCHEQ could onboard dedicated staff, enhance patient resources, streamline outreach and fundraising efforts, and significantly elevate its ability to reach underserved populations with timely, life-saving information and support.

SCHEQ is known for developing, implementing, and refining programs for educational and healthcare ecosystems. It designs mentorship pipelines for scholars from high school through postdoctoral training, improves diversity in clinical trials, guides research teams, and delivers tailored patient education.

In addition, SCHEQ engages in speaking engagements and workshops to raise awareness and inspire change across the country. Understanding that catalyzing change doesn’t stop at including marginalized communities in conversations about equity, its work revolves around championing comprehensive solutions.

The nonprofit’s mission and vision are an extension of the personal and professional journey of its founder and CEO, Eugene Manley, Jr., PhD. Dr. Manley was raised in a low-income household in Detroit, where he grew up battling chronic asthma and life-threatening allergies. Frequent hospital visits and caregiving responsibilities exposed him to the disparities experienced by poor and minoritized families in the healthcare system.

This early exposure motivated Dr. Manley to become a first-generation college student, earning a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s in Biomedical Engineering. He later completed his doctorate in molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry. His research encompassed musculoskeletal biology and cancer, giving him a multidisciplinary foundation that now informs SCHEQ’s unique model.

Dr. Manley has always been an advocate for mentorship, inclusion, and equitable access to education and care. The grueling demands of his doctoral training didn’t hinder him from volunteering, mentoring diverse students, and supporting outreach for marginalized communities. Before founding SCHEQ, he served as Director of STEM Workforce Initiatives at LUNGevity.

At LUNGevity, Dr. Manley led multiple virtual health equity series, established a Minority Mentorship and Training Program, and deepened engagement with underserved populations around cancer awareness. These experiences enabled him to write several peer-reviewed publications and build a reputation as a speaker and strategist. Ultimately, he brings scientific expertise and lived experience to his work of reimagining healthcare and STEMM access.

Dr. Manley’s journey has opened his eyes to the structural inequities in academia and medicine. As someone who has personally experienced racism and isolation, he was motivated to support others facing similar barriers. “How do we help students know they can be in STEMM spaces? They’re usually told they don’t belong or that they’re invisible. We need to get them through school and into careers and then give them the support they need to succeed. Why? Because when they stay in those fields, they can help deliver better, more personalized care to patients that have always been overlooked,” he remarks.

Dr. Manley has also seen how patients from Black and Latino communities are usually not informed about biomarker testing or clinical trials. These are tools that have revolutionized lung cancer treatment for some. Unfortunately, they remain out of reach for many.

“We’ve made incredible progress in lung cancer research over the past decades, but Black and Hispanic populations aren’t benefiting from these advancements,” says Dr. Manley. Patients from these communities usually face barriers such as immigration concerns, income limitations, language gaps, and healthcare discrimination. Adding to these issues is the absence of culturally resonant education materials and a medical workforce that reflects the populations being treated.

SCHEQ’s impact is visible in its efforts to build community, inform policy, and drive dialogue. In November 2024, the nonprofit hosted its annual Lung Cancer Health Equity Summit with the theme “Black and Latino Patients Navigating Lung Cancer: Stepping Stones to Equity.” The summit gathered patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, payers, and pharmaceutical leaders to tackle disparities and share real-world solutions.

“One attendee told us they were inspired to launch a lung awareness initiative at their church. Another called it the most comprehensive summit they had ever attended. These responses are what drives us,” Dr. Manley shares. The 3rd Annual SCHEQ Lung Cancer Health Equity Summit is set to commence in October 2025.

The momentum continues with the Lung Cancer Solutions webinar series. Launched in early 2024, this bi-monthly series highlights lesser-known lung cancer risk factors, ensuring that community members receive information that usually goes unmentioned in routine screenings and appointments.

SCHEQ builds the foundation for a national ecosystem that advances equitable cancer care and STEMM access. It needs support to turn its vision into reality. The organization offers funders, impact investors, and strategic partners an opportunity to identify problems and implement solutions, initiating a paradigm shift wherein healthcare innovation and scientific opportunity are no longer privileges but rights.

Media Contact

Name: Eugene Manley, PhD

Email: info@scheq.org