Hampton University President William Harvey's initial readings of proton therapy for cancer sparked his interest. Within a few months, Dr. Harvey was assigning widely respected Hampton nuclear physicist Dr. Cynthia Keppel to do more exploration. Today, the new $225 million Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, one of eight therapy sites in the United States and the only one in the region, is open for business. Working as a team, they have been helping cancer patients learn whether they (cancer patients) can employ proton therapy as an alternative to traditional therapeutic radiation and chemotherapy treatments in fighting the life-threatening disease. It focuses on treating adults with prostate, breast, lung and eye cancers and on children with cancer. Harvey says he sees his school's new venture playing a role in "easing human misery and saving lives." He adds that it shows how a small Black school can do something huge.