February 8, 2006
Contact: Susan Brandt, (434) 947-4730

With overwhelming support from the central Virginia community, the Centra Health Foundation has raised $11.5 million in community donations for the new patient care tower at Lynchburg General Hospital and the new regional cancer center.

“This is an unprecedented level of giving for our community,” said Kathryn M. Pumphrey, executive vice president of the Centra Health Foundation. “The success of this campaign is a testament to the generosity of more than a thousand donors in our community and the need for these two important projects.”

More than 1,000 donors from Lynchburg and the surrounding counties contributed to the campaign, which took just over a year and exceeded its goal by 15 percent. Physicians donated $778,624, an increase of $28,624 over their goal of $750,000. Centra Health employees contributed $597,500 or $97,500 over their goal of $500,000. The board of directors for Centra Health and Centra Health Foundation donated $1.7 million.

Centra Health broke ground in May 2005 on the new five-story patient care tower at Lynchburg General Hospital designed to meet the growing demand for services from patients in the region. The project is expected to be completed in 2007. The 140,000 square-foot tower of brick and glass will include 108 patient rooms and separate floors for cancer patients, surgery patients and a new Ortho-Spine Center. The project also will include renovation of 65,000 square-feet of space at Lynchburg General Hospital, with an emphasis on improved patient care support areas.

Centra Health will break ground on the $20 million regional cancer center this spring. The two-story outpatient facility will consolidate chemotherapy and radiation therapy services in one convenient location at the corner of Langhorne and Atherholt roads. The 76,000 square-foot building will offer expanded examination rooms for radiation oncology and medical oncology.

Marc Schewel, campaign fund-raising chairman, said: “Many of these gifts were made in memory of a family, family member or friend or in honor of an individual that made a difference in the donor’s life. These gifts provide a legacy that words alone could not express and offer important support for the health of our community.”

Five central Virginia families donated $5.5 million, including:

• Alan Pearson. Pearson made a major contribution to name the new regional cancer center. He gave his donation as a gift to the central Virginia community. “With this state-of-the-art facility,” Pearson said, “no one should have to leave town for treatment.’’
• The Lane family. Minnie Lane of Altavista and the Bernard B. Lane Foundation made a gift in memory of Lane’s husband, the late B.B. Lane. The gift was designated for both the regional cancer center and to name the oncology floor of the new tower at Lynchburg General Hospital. Minnie Lane said, “It’s comforting to know that our community will be able to go to the best facilities with the best doctors and treatments at a place close to home.”
• MaryJane Dolan and her late husband Ron. The Dolans made a gift to name the new conference center at Lynchburg General Hospital. “The new center will pay tribute to the many, many individuals who made First Colony a successful company and create a tangible reminder of this great organization,” said MaryJane Dolan.
• The Anderson Family. Jeri Anderson and her family have contributed to name the medical oncology center in the cancer center. Their gift is given in memory of Jeri’s husband, the late Cranford “Andy” Anderson Jr., who battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia before his death. Much of his specialized treatment was delivered in a medical center in another state with his family at his bedside. “Andy’s cancer was a devastating experience for our whole family,” said Jeri Anderson. Now a breast cancer survivor, Jeri Anderson said she and her family want to help others. “We are hoping with our help, and the help of others, people will not have to go hours away for treatment. I believe we have great physicians and a great nursing staff in central Virginia and I owe my life to them and to God.’’
• A Lynchburg family who requests to remain anonymous.

Pumphrey said people are continuing to donate to the campaign and naming opportunities still are available in the Lynchburg General patient tower and the new regional cancer center.

For more information about the foundation’s campaign or to make a donation, call Kathryn M. Pumphrey, (434) 947-4791, or visit their web page here.