On December 31, 2009 the Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation successfully completed its capital campaign, “Cancer Should Not Have The Last Word.” The Foundation raised $5.2 million to build a new comprehensive cancer center affiliated with UT Southwestern Medical Center, surpassing its $5 million goal.
The new cancer center opened in October 2008. The 50,000-square-foot facility located on Methodist Richardson's Bush/Renner campus will bring an enhanced level of care to the region by providing convenient access to medical, surgical, and radiation oncology services plus clinical research, genetic counseling, patient navigation, and preventive and integrated therapies.
The Foundation raised $5.2 million through private contributions, corporate donations, and grants, including a $1 million challenge grant from the Rees-Jones Foundation. Thanks to generous donors, the cancer center also features unique artwork to help inspire and heal patients.
"We owe our success in large part to the dedication of the campaign chairs and members of the committee who have spread awareness of the new cancer center to the Richardson community and beyond," said Maria MacMullin, Methodist Richardson Foundation's Director of Development.
Major Donors
The Rees-Jones Foundation
Hillcrest Foundation
Ida M. and James R. Lightner
Judy and Max Martin
Meadows Foundation
Cynthia Slagel Eubanks
Lance Armstrong
Special Projects
Kids Corner funded by Lee and Steve Nagel
Meditation room with art glass funded by Judy and Max Martin
Angel sculpture funded by Methodist Richardson Medical Center Auxiliary
Grand piano funded by Patti Henry Pinch
Water feature funded by Gayla and James Von Ehr
Bike art case featuring Lance Armstrong funded by Rhonda and Jim Hoyt
Glass sculpture funded by Jerry Owens (dec.)
Campaign Chair - Judy Martin
Honorary Campaign Co-Chairs - Linda Armstrong Kelly and Ed Kelly
 Steve and Lee Nagel with their son Andrew at the Cancer Center's Kids Corner. |
The new Methodist Richardson Cancer Center will provide personalized care to North Texas patients and their families. Our dedicated specialists will focus on treating the whole patient – mind, body, and spirit – from diagnosis, to treatment, to follow up care in recovery.
Patients will be guided through their treatment with the assistance of a Patient Navigator, who will work with each patient to schedule treatments and address the personalized needs of each patient. The center will offer all specialties in one location, convenient access to clinical research during treatment, and incorporate preventative and integrative therapies and advanced technology treatments under one roof.
According to the American Cancer Society, one in every two men and one in every three women will develop cancer. More than 70,000 people in Texas are diagnosed with cancer each year. The National Cancer Center’s statistics reveal that less than 5 percent of cancer patients participate in clinical trials. If 10 percent participated, studies could be completed in one year, instead of the 3 to 5 year studies currently require. One of the goals of Methodist Richardson and UT Southwestern is to offer more access to clinical trials for cancer patients, while providing the most comprehensive cancer treatment available.
Methodist Richardson began building a reputation in cancer care with the establishment of the Lance Armstrong Shaped Beam Surgery™ program in 2002. The only such program in the world named for Lance Armstrong, its centerpiece is the first Novalis-enhanced linear accelerator in Texas and the seventh in the United States. This revolutionary, noninvasive technology allows physicians to treat tumors with high-dose radiation while minimizing harm to the surrounding healthy tissue.
This new cancer center will serve as a model for other community and academic partnerships to follow – expanding medical, surgical and radiation oncology services, and providing community access to critically needed clinical research trials and advanced technology treatments.
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