In 1963, Oasis of Hope was founded by Dr. Ernesto Contreras on the principle that patients should be treated with respect. Oasis of Hope has been providing integrative cancer care ever since. Dr. Contreras believed in compassionate treatment, and trained the physicians at the hospital not to prescribe any course of treatment that they would not undertake themselves.

Today, Oasis of Hope has a hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, and offices in Irvine, California. It continues to offer holistic, patient-centered care under the direction of Dr. Francisco Contreras, the founder's son. In addition to undertaking conventional and alternative therapies, the center's experienced physicians advise patients on diet and exercise and provide emotional and spiritual counseling. Furthermore, patients are encouraged to bring family or friends with them to the hospital, as community support is considered an important part of healing.

The center is also a research hospital, and has produced papers outlining its research into interleukin-2 therapy, cancer control drugs, survival statistics, and much more.