New Era Gifts $1.5 Million to Push Phase I of Roswell Park’s ‘Making Room to Save Lives’ Campaign Over the Top

RPCI Moving Forward on Clinical Sciences Center Expansion in Fight Against Cancer

 

BUFFALO, N.Y.— Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) closed out the $40 million Phase I of  ‘Making Room to Save Lives: The Campaign to Build a Greater Roswell Park’ today with the announcement of a $1.5 million donation from New Era during a press conference held this morning at RPCI.

The ‘Making Room to Save Lives’ campaign is RPCI’s strategic initiative to continue to meet the needs of its rapidly growing patient population.  A prominent component is building an 11-story, 142,000 square-foot Clinical Sciences Center at Michigan and Carlton Streets in Buffalo.

“The need for Roswell Park services has continued to grow.  Over the past five years, we have seen a nearly 40% increase in patients and we have seen an almost 60% rise in outpatient appointments over the past decade,” said Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, Roswell Park President and CEO.  “With New Era’s generous donation and that of previous major contributors, the new Clinical Sciences Center will allow us to meet the current and future needs of our patients," he said.

A supporter of cancer research, prevention and education as one of its four key platforms, New Era’s gift to Roswell Park continues a long tradition of philanthropy.

“At New Era, we strongly believe in giving back to the communities that we work and live in. One important way we do this is by engaging in partnerships and signature programs that focus on finding a cure for cancer," said Christopher Koch, CEO of New Era. "We have had a longstanding relationship with Roswell Park and are elated that we can help with their ongoing efforts."

Joined with the adjacent main hospital building via connecting bridges, the proposed RPCI Clinical Sciences Center will feature many expansion highlights including:

• Breast Center
• New Mammography Center
• New Chemo-Infusion Clinic
• Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic
• Patient Education and Survivorship Programs to reach patients, caregivers, and family members
• State-of-the-art office facilities and space for clinician-scientists to analyze data from clinical studies

A total of $40 million in Phase I has been raised by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation to support the building of the Center. Construction for Phase I is scheduled to begin in Spring 2013.  An additional $10 million will be raised in Phase II for the Center’s “build out” and shell space requirements.

Dr. Trump gave special credit and thanks for the fundraising success to the “Making Room to Save Lives” campaign committee and its co-chairs Donna M. Gioia and Scott Bieler.

The ‘Making Room to Save Lives’ campaign kicked off in June 2011 with a generous $10 million donation from the ‘Circle of 10’ – a collaborative $10 million gift from 10 well known business and philanthropic leaders in Western New York, including some Roswell Park patients, who each gifted $1 million. ‘Circle of 10’ members include:

• Mr. Scott R. Bieler
• The William and Nancy Gacioch Family
• The Garman Family
• Anne and Richard Gioia and Donna and Anthony Gioia
• G. Wayne and Charline (Bunkie) Hawk
• The Jacobs Family
• Patrick P. Lee
• Stanford and Judith Lipsey
• Lawrence Minet, PhD
• Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.

In total, 435 donors contributed to Phase I of the ‘Making Room to Save Lives’ campaign including:

• Margaret L. Wendt Foundation
• Patrick P. Lee Foundation
• First Niagara Foundation
• Corning Foundation – Corning, N.Y.
• James H. Cummings Foundation
• Paul J. Koessler Foundation
• Eastman Foundation
• Ferguson Electric Foundation
• Individual and anonymous donors
• Faculty and staff at Roswell Park

More About the CSC

The CSC will house a new expanded Chemotherapy Clinic (doubling the size of the current Chemo Clinic) that will offer patients a picturesque view of Buffalo’s skyline; a Breast Center that will for the first time offer community mammography services; and a Patient Education/Survivorship Center for Roswell Park’s 31,000 patients and their families. The building’s presence also will allow many clinics and patient care areas to be expanded and renovated within the existing main hospital. For more information on RPCI’s ‘Making Room to Save Lives: The Campaign to Build a Greater Roswell Park’ campaign visit www.roswellpark.org/giving/donate/capital-campaign.  

WNY Genome Project and What It Means to You

Imagine being able to examine your genetic makeup to determine if you are likely to develop a disease. Imagine being able to receive treatment and medication designed specifically for you in the most effective dose.

One of the most important aspects of modern medicine is genetics, or the science of genes and heredity and what makes us different from one another. The genetic makeup (genome) for one individual is the entirety of that person’s hereditary information.  Now imagine the ability to compile and analyze the genome of an entire community to examine the predispositions of its members to common diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus or hypertension (high blood pressure).

In December Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) was granted $5.1 million by Governor Cuomo to lead a project that will do just that, and Donald L. Trump, MD, RPCI President and CEO, is thrilled. He predicts, “The RPCI Genome Project will significantly enhance our ability to develop personalized, more effective medical care plans and treatments for citizens of Western New York and beyond, but it is just a beginning.” 

Dr. Trump explains, “The project will begin with cancer, where we already have experience and infrastructure, including a large database of individuals. One goal is to individualize and personalize treatments. For example, anticoagulant drugs may be dosed differently based on how each individual metabolizes the drug. Another is tamoxifen, a well-documented drug for breast cancer prevention. We need to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from specific drugs and determine appropriate individualized dosages to minimize side effects. Ultimately, the goal is to expand our capability well past cancer and develop effective and customized treatments for all individuals.”

With this pilot funding, 1,000 area residents will be asked to donate a blood sample and provide detailed medical information. Patients’ privacy will be fully protected and their data will not be shared with insurance companies or serve as a basis for denying coverage based on their predisposition to a disease. In fact, only the health care provider and the individual themselves will have access to the information.

So what else is so exciting about the project? Dr. Trump says, “It will mean many jobs for Western New Yorkers, significantly boosting our economy.” Meanwhile, recruitment for a Project leader is underway, and people with cancer expertise, data collection and analysis will also be needed. Dr. Trump adds, “We also know that it will attract more money to our region, as happened with the genome project in Tampa, Florida at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, where the Merck Pharmaceutical company invested $100 million in a similar endeavor.”

So why was Western New York selected? Dr. Trump says it’s because of our region’s cutting-edge science and technology, broad partnerships with many constituents, and the potential for job growth and economically rewarding partnerships.

Dr. Trump and Deputy Director Candace Johnson, PhD, will lead the RPCI Genome Project as Co-Principal Investigators. Partners include the University at Buffalo, Kaleida Health, the Catholic Health System, Erie County Medical Center, HealthNow/BlueCross BlueShield, Independent Health, Univera Healthcare, The P2 Collaborative and HEALTHeLINK. For more information visit roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI or send an email inquiry to askrpci@roswellpark.org.

RPCI EARNS LEAPFROG TOP HOSPITAL RECOGNITION, ASCO QUALITY CERTIFICATION

Two prestigious quality designations are latest commendations of RPCI from national organizations

  

BUFFALO, NY — Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) has again been recognized at the national level for providing high-quality, patient-centered care. One of only three National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in New York State, RPCI this month received Leapfrog Top Hospital recognition for the second consecutive year and earned Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) Certification from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

The Leapfrog Top Hospital designation puts RPCI in a class representing just 5% of eligible hospitals — 65 from a field of nearly 1,200. The Leapfrog Group, a coalition of public and private employers, selects hospitals for the designation based on an annual national survey measuring performance in areas such as error prevention and nurse and physician staffing — the most complete picture available of a hospital’s record on quality and patient safety.

“For the second year in a row, Roswell Park Cancer Institute has achieved the highest distinction for quality and patient safety that any hospital in America can achieve. We are proud to count them among the select group of 2011 Leapfrog Top Hospitals,” said Leah Binder, CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “As the demand for information about hospital quality grows, hospitals like Roswell Park that participate in Leapfrog’s annual hospital survey are providing a great service to their community by making important information readily available.”

Launched by ASCO in 2006, the QOPI enables medical facilities to examine the quality of care they provide to patients based on evidence-based guidelines and established quality measures. Its rigorous set of more than 100 quality measures was developed by practicing oncologists and quality experts, and spans the continuum of cancer care. The QOPI Certification Program was launched in 2010. RPCI is one of approximately 100 facilities nationally to earn the certification, and one of only seven in New York State.

“Consistency is one of the most important aspects of high-quality delivery of care,” said Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP, RPCI President and CEO. “To be recognized by national organizations as respected as the Leapfrog Group and ASCO, we have to not only be able to provide great and safe care but to have a proven track record of doing so routinely.”

RPCI has frequently been recognized for high-quality care and overall excellence. The Institute was again recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011-12 Best Hospitals list for Cancer Care; holds Magnet Recognition Program designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center; has been named one of the eight best hospitals in the nation for complex or “extremely difficult” cancer cases by AARP The Magazine; and has received other special commendations from BlueCross BlueShield, Optum Health, The Scientist magazine and others.

About The Leapfrog Group, ASCO and RPCI:

The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage founded a decade ago to work for improvements in health care safety, quality and affordability.  The annual survey is the only voluntary effort of its kind.  More information is available at http://www.leapfroggroup.org.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has more than 30,000 members and is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. For more information, go tohttp://www.asco.org.

For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.