UMC raises $504,935 for new Cancer Center at 2023 Gala
UPDATE: UMC was able to raise $504,935 to fight cancer on the South Plains at their 2023 Gala.
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - When Deanna McKinney was diagnosed with a rare cancer, her doctors recommended treatment at UMC. To their surprise, just a few months later, her husband, Paul, would also be diagnosed with cancer. While cancer diagnoses are always difficult, the caregivers at UMC ensured that Deanna and Paul’s treatments would always be done together, side by side, hand in hand. Though Paul has since passed, Deanna remains strong in her fight against cancer. Her fond memories of her husband and his lasting inspiration drive her every day.
“The entire staff was phenomenal, beyond anything I would have thought,” said Deanna. “I have been totally impressed with the cancer care. It’s just amazing, from the customer service to the staff’s smiles. I will never go anywhere else.”
With the success of the 2023 UMC Health System Gala, UMC has now raised $22.8 million toward its fundraising goal of $25 million. Funds raised will go toward a brand-new center, serving as a true destination cancer center close to home, providing disease-specific clinical excellence for patients and families throughout our vast region. Scheduled for completion in 2025, the new UMC TLC2 Foundation Cancer Center will provide:
- Increased clinical, treatment, and therapeutic space
- World-class clinical settings to promote physician recruitment
- Increased clinical trials across multiple centers of excellence
- Dedicated in-house TTUHSC research space
“We are very grateful to everyone who made the 2023 Gala a success,” said Britt Pharris, UMC Vice-President and Chief Philanthropy Officer. “The positive response throughout the community and region has been outstanding but we still need support to achieve our goal.”
For information about how you can join the fight against cancer through the UMC Cancer Center Campaign, please contact Britt Pharris or Jera Gentry at 806-775-8250.
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