AdventHealth Castle Rock's mission to provide top-tier cancer care got a major boost with a $1 million gift commitment from the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. The gift was approved during a meeting on January 28 and was celebrated at the Rock of Hope Gala last week.
Douglas County Commissioner, Kevin Van Winkle, and AdventHealth Castle Rock CEO, Michelle Fuentes, among others, celebrated the generous gift on Thursday, February 6, which also unlocked a $1 million donation match by the Schrader Family made last year.
The Rock of Hope Campaign has now raised more than $10 million of their goal of $14 million for the cancer care center on campus inside the Schrader Building.
“This is a huge step forward for Douglas County,” said Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle. “No family is free from the devastating effects of cancer, and this work highlights what we as a Board can do for the people of Douglas County.”
The Douglas County gift will go directly to funding and installing a new cutting-edge radiation therapy system, called VisionRT, which will help provide the best cancer care in the area. AdventHealth Castle Rock will be only the third hospital in the country to offer this technology, which is already available at AdventHealth Parker.
“You don’t know that Castle Rock does not have cancer care until you need it,” said Marcy Blair, Chair of the Foundation Impact Team at AdventHealth Castle Rock. “Eight rounds of chemo and 37 rounds of radiation later, I have to thank Douglas County for standing with us to bring expert cancer care to our community.”
The cancer care center at AdventHealth Castle Rock is still on track to have its first oncology patient by the end of 2025.
“Supporting healthy families in Douglas County means being there for citizens who may be struggling the most. Providing cancer care where there was none before is a powerful investment that we believe will truly save lives and make a meaningful difference for good in our community,” said Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon.
During the Rock of Hope Gala, community members raised a further $240,000 to go towards the Rock of Hope Campaign and future cancer care at AdventHealth Castle Rock.
“A heartfelt thanks to the Gala event committee and especially to co-chairs, Melissa Sanchez and Marcy Blair! The afterglow of the Gala will illuminate our way forward toward bringing cancer care to Castle Rock,” said Harmony Furlong, AdventHealth Castle Rock Foundation Director.
“Building the cancer center is more than just constructing a facility, it’s about creating hope and ensuring that every patient receives compassionate, expert and faith-centered care close to home,” said AdventHealth Castle Rock CEO, Michelle Fuentes. “I am grateful to the Rock of Hope Gala committee for their inspiring commitment and partnership toward orchestrating a beautiful event contributing to a successful campaign.”
If you would like to donate to the Rock of Hope Campaign, click here.
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