This year’s Colors of Cancer campaign was quite a success, according to one of its main drivers, Stacie Duce, Director of Philanthropy at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. This year, despite the difficulties incurred during a pandemic, the campaign brought in over $55,000. After adding in the $1 for $1 match from the hospital, it brought the total contributions to $110,185.
“While we were uncertain about the possibilities of some of our grassroots fundraising ideas this year, we ended the month exceeding our goals during the 31-day campaign,” said Duce. She said they received incredible support from First Interstate Bank and had a new sponsor of their 5K race, Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. The Seattle hospital was celebrating its 100-year anniversary and supporting health-related initiatives across the region they serve, according to Duce. She said those two sponsorships alone more than made up for the funds missed out on due to the COVID-19 restrictions and limitations. Then the MDMH Board of Directors matched every dollar to show their commitment to adding cancer services at the hospital.
“Luckily, we still had creative community members come up with some amazing color-themed events to raise money in memory of loved ones lost to a particular type of cancer or to honor someone currently fighting the battle,” said Duce. New color teams were formed this year including Team White for Lung Cancer and Team Orchid for Testicular Cancer. She said the response was emotional for many and successful as far as fundraising goes. For example, Team Orchid tripled the amount they used to raise for Team Pink and the Darby Rodeo Association gave $7,500 from their events and raffles.
“We’re really grateful for the enthusiasm from so many and the lives who have been honored and remembered by these new color teams,” said Duce.
With the annual fundraiser behind them, now the tireless supporters of the hospital and its cancer patients is pushing forward with the continuing efforts at raising funds to add a Cancer/Infusion Center at the hospital. The idea was announced last January but was put on hold in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will involve a renovation and addition to the south side of the hospital including the main entrance.
“Looking forward, we feel a deep responsibility to be successful with our fundraising as donations are directed to a new cancer and infusion center,” said Duce. “We know that every day we get closer to our goal is one day sooner that ground can be broken and ultimately, that more patients can receive infusion treatments close to home. It will impact so many families and community members, we are really anxious to reach our goal with haste.”
Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital CEO John Bishop said the consequences of COVID-19 brought all the hospital’s major projects “to a screeching halt.”
“With the success of the 2020 Colors of Cancer campaign in October, we want to keep that momentum of generosity and pick up where we left off, however, we truly will be dependent on the Foundation’s capital fundraising campaign before we break ground on the next phase.”
Bishop said the new Cancer and Infusion Center will include three outpatient clinic exam rooms, which will double as private infusion stations. He said the space is designed to be flexible for ongoing needs of patients and staff. It will also include seven private infusion bays with an open design and glass exterior walls and a shared infusion bay for a group of three patients. There will be an open kitchen counter space for patients to help themselves to complimentary snacks and beverages (critical for those treatments that can last 4 to 8 hours). The center area of the new space is a nurse’s station with support staff that can serve both clinical visits and infusion services. Bishop said it was smartly designed space for staff that is ideal for storage needs, entering/exiting the clinic without disrupting patient flow, and includes a lounge area.
“It’s a complex project that’s intertwined with several other renovations at the hospital,” said bishop, “specifically, the space in the center of the facility that served as the surgical center and operating rooms since the hospital opened in 1975. Our new state-of-the-art surgery center is fully functioning with a robotics machine and exceptional staff, it’s time to renovate that former space.”
Because of recent improvements in the pharmacy inside the hospital, they now have mixing stations for chemotherapy drugs that can be mixed at the time needed and delivered to the clinic.
“We are working on a multi-tiered staffing solution that will include several new full-time positions at the hospital,” said Bishop. “We want to partner with an experienced group of oncologists to enhance treatments for local patients and give them excellent care without exhausting and expensive travel.”
Other design elements include improving the main entrance on the south side of the hospital by adding new waiting areas, reception areas and a “warm, welcoming design that includes double-sided rock fireplaces.”
Bishop said that new regulations required adding a covered drop-off area when making modifications to the main entrance. He said the hospital’s exterior will be improved and look similar to the entrance of the new Surgery Center.
The new cancer and infusion center will take over space currently occupied by the IT Department. So, IT will be moving to the center section of the hospital and create a better space for new employee orientation and continuing education. A new conference room would also be added and have many functions for staff and the community, he said.
The cumulative cost of the correlating renovations will top $8 million, according to Bishop, but the hospital is only fundraising for the cancer clinic portion of the project which will roughly come close to $4 million.
“Although we had preliminary estimates on cost of the things we’ve designed, construction costs have skyrocketed this year,” said Bishop. “Our bidding process has not started and won’t until our fundraising is well on its way to its target, so we hope by then that construction and material costs will have leveled out and we can complete this important project wisely and prudently.”
Jennifer Bush, Director of Patient Care Services, said she was excited to be a part of the planning for the Cancer Center.
“We have all been touched by the effects of cancer at some point in our lives and know how important it is to have our loved ones close to home. Our nurses at MDMH give the most kind and compassionate care to our community. They have been amazing this year in particular. Responding to the needs of our community is important, and being here for patients when needed makes me very proud to be a part of expanding our services at MDMH,” said Bush.
To learn more about giving opportunities and the amenities of the proposed Cancer and Infusion Center, contact Stacie Duce at 406.375-4674 or Stacie.duce@mdmh.org. Anyone can give online anytime at www.mdmh.org/give.