Dr. Hayley Thompson Honored as Michigan Chronicle Vital Signs Healthcare Leader

Dr. Hayley Thompson, a professor of Oncology at Wayne State University and associate center director at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, has been named one of 25 honorees in the inaugural “Vital Signs: Salute to Black Healthcare Leaders in Metro Detroit.” The recognition, published by The Michigan Chronicle on October 25, highlights Thompson’s work in breaking down the systemic barriers that prevent underserved populations from accessing life-saving cancer screenings and digital health tools.

By embedding research into the community rather than keeping it locked in a lab, Thompson is targeting the “digital divide” and the trust deficit that often leave marginalized patients behind.

Closing the gap in cancer screening

The impact of this approach is visible in the numbers. According to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Thompson’s partnership with an Odawa health clinic through the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan saw colorectal screening and completion rates among American Indian patients jump from 3.5% to 20%.

In Detroit, Thompson’s work took a practical turn with the Witness Project of Detroit and its successor, Real Talk: Breast Cancer. The Witness Project reached 2,043 people, predominantly Black women, and Real Talk and related programming have reached approximately 1,500 people since 2019, receiving direct assistance in managing the complex healthcare bureaucracy to get screened.

The financial stakes of this outreach were formalized in 2025 through the Connection to Care Community Grant Program. By providing grants between $20,000 and $30,000 to four organizations, Thompson’s team identified 303 people eligible for breast cancer screening and 162 for lung cancer screening during a six-month pilot.

“Access involves more than the availability of an appointment. It also requires trust, understanding, respect and care that responds to the realities of people’s lives,” wrote Hiram Jackson, publisher of The Michigan Chronicle and CEO of Real Times Media.

Tackling the digital divide in 2026

While physical access to a clinic is the first hurdle, the next frontier is digital. To fight this, Dr. Thompson is serving as the principal investigator for a 2026 American Cancer Society Cancer Health Research Center grant, which established the Digital Engagement and Cancer Outcomes Center (DECO).

Researchers will work to better understand the impact of the digital environment and digital inclusion on outcomes and disparities among Black cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, and advance interventions that both integrate and impact hospital and community resources to improve outcomes at the individual level.

Building coalitions beyond the clinic

Thompson’s strategy relies on a network of “Cancer Action Councils,” a partnership known as Michigan Cancer HealthLink that she established back in 2016. By involving survivors, caregivers, and advocates—including rural residents and Black men—she ensures that research priorities are set by the people the research is intended to help.

This collaborative spirit expanded in 2023 with the formation of the Detroit Community Health Alliance & Partnerships (D-CHAP). D-CHAP is a multi-sector coalition of 40 members, including 24 community-based organization representatives. While Thompson is a cancer expert, D-CHAP tackles a broader spectrum of health, including cardiovascular health and mental health.

However, the partnership with the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan and the Connection to Care grants suggest that trust and responding to the realities of people’s lives are necessary for underserved communities to access care.

For Dr. Thompson, the recognition is a validation of a decade and a half of work in Michigan. As she noted in response to the honor, these efforts are designed to engage community members not just as subjects of science, but as leaders and decision-makers in their own care.

The question that remains is whether this model of building trust and partnerships can be scaled across the areas Karmanos serves.