he OSF HealthCare Foundation is excited to announce two lead fundraising gifts for the Comprehensive Cancer Center to be built on the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
OSF HealthCare CEO Bob Sehring and his wife, Barb, and Jay and Betty Vonachen and their son and daughter-in-law, Matt and Lesley Vonachen, have each committed to giving $1-million gifts in support of the campaign.
“To see the leadership of these two generous families for our Comprehensive Cancer Center campaign fills my heart, and the hearts of all of the Sisters, with joy,” said Sister Judith Ann Duvall, O.S.F., Chairperson of the Boards, OSF HealthCare. “That the CEO of our HealthCare Ministry and the Vonachens, as volunteer leaders for our OSF Ministry, are personally supporting the comprehensive cancer center with $1-million gifts shows how invested they are in the importance of this project, which will forever change cancer care throughout the state of Illinois.”
“Barb and I are blessed to be in a position to support this project that will bring the best resources and treatments to those facing a cancer journey,” said Bob Sehring. “This facility will be a testament to the type of cancer care OSF HealthCare feels is vital for those we serve.”
Jay Vonachen has dedicated five decades of volunteer service to OSF, including a record-setting leadership tenure on the OSF Saint Francis Community Advisory Board. Matt Vonachen serves on the OSF HealthCare Foundation Board and is the chair of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Steering Committee.
“If your family is not directly affected by cancer, chances are you know someone who is,” said Matt Vonachen. “My parents, Lesley, and I want to do our part in bringing this potential life-changing care to a community that means so much to us and our family. This center will help Peoria become a national leader in cancer care.”
“The magnitude of these gifts is not just the amount, they also reflect a shared vision with the Mission of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis,” said Tom Hammerton, President, OSF HealthCare Foundation. “The Sehrings and the Vonachens have committed to this vision with focused determination to see it through to fruition. Extraordinary philanthropy such as theirs is needed to make this vision a reality for the Peoria community and beyond.”
OSF HealthCare is committed to making Peoria a premier destination for world-class cancer care. As a regional destination center with the latest technology, one of the hallmarks will be proton beam therapy, which will be just the second center in Illinois, and one of only 32 in North America, treating patients with hard to reach cancers. In addition to proton beam and brachytherapy, the Comprehensive Cancer Center will feature an infusion center, patient education and support spaces, and a full range of cancer-related services. The timeline for construction will depend on philanthropic fundraising efforts, with a goal of providing the first treatments as early as 2023.