April 30,
2007
Donation advances cancer diagnosis and patient care
Alumnus John Wallis (Jack) Rowe, former chairman and
CEO of Aetna, has donated $5 million to support the James P. Wilmot
Cancer Center’s expansion campaign.
“My own family, like many others, has
experienced the fear and triumph of a diagnosis of cancer. Advances in
diagnosis and therapy have made survival with cancer an expectation for
many types of cancer. Our gift will enable research in novel areas such as
cancer immunology that hold promise for all cancer patients,” says
Rowe ’70M (MD).
The Wilmot Cancer Center is raising $42.5 million to
construct a new facility to double clinical and research space, consolidate
outpatient cancer care and research laboratories in a single location,
recruit additional scientists, and build translational research
programs to find cures. Rowe’s donation brings the five-year campaign
total to $30 million. In recognition of his gift, the research laboratories
dedicated to translational research in the new Wilmot Cancer Center
facility will be named in his honor.
“This tremendous gift is a testament to the
confidence that our alumni have in the quality clinical and research
programs at the Medical Center and Wilmot Cancer Center,” says
President Seligman. “Jack Rowe’s gift furthers the
University’s commitment to provide the highest quality cancer care
and research. I am most grateful for his inspirational
gift.”
The Wilmot Cancer Center has adopted an ambitious plan
to capture the National Cancer Institute designation as one of the
country’s top cancer centers. A key element of the plan is the
construction of a 163,000-square-foot facility at the corner of East Drive
and Crittenden Boulevard, which began a year ago. Scheduled to open in
spring 2008, the building was designed with patient comfort at the
forefront and will offer unprecedented levels of privacy, educational
opportunities, and ease of access.
“Expanding our programs will let people of the
Finger Lakes region stay close to home for the very best cancer
care,” says Richard Fisher, director of the Wilmot Cancer Center and
vice president for clinical services. “The new facility will allow us
to better serve the growing number of patients from outside the region
coming to Rochester for our expert, multidisciplinary cancer
care.”
“Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases
that we face as individuals and physicians, and providing outstanding
cancer care and cutting-edge research is a top priority for the Medical
Center,” says Bradford Berk, Medical Center CEO and senior vice
president for health sciences. “The Wilmot Cancer Center is key to
the future growth of the Medical Center and we are pleased to see Jack
Rowe’s gift support our efforts.”
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