October 2, 2001

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital has raised an unprecedented $1.5 million in one year to expand and enhance services for cancer patients and their families. The money was raised through two matching gift challenges presented by an anonymous local donor in July 2000.

The first challenge was to raise $250,000 by the end of last December for the construction of a new chemotherapy unit. Two very substantial gifts from Mr. and Mrs. David A. Bramble and Mr. and Mrs. J. Willis Wells, along with many contributions from community members, combined to surpass the challenge. In 1995 the Brambles also contributed $75,000 to create the chemotherapy service at Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital in memory of his mother Caroline A. Bramble.

In just six years the number of treatments provided in the unit have nearly tripled. The new unit will provide patients and their family members with more comfort through more spacious and private surroundings. Construction of the new unit has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The second matching gift challenge was to raise $500,000 by July 2001 to start an endowment fund for cancer programs.

Maryann Ruehrmund, director of development at the hospital, explains, "Donations to the endowment fund are permanently restricted; the income and a portion of the investment's growth will be used each year to support cancer programs, but the principal will be maintained to provide an ongoing stream of income and to ensure the perpetuity of the program."

A $100,000 gift from a local family's foundation kicked off efforts to meet the goal. Proceeds from the Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital Foundation's seventh annual golf tournament, combined with approximately 140 gifts from community members and organizations, physicians, employees, volunteers and Board members also helped the Hospital reach this second challenge.

William R. Kirk, Jr., president & CEO, said, "By matching the $750,000 we raised this donor has made a significant investment in the future of oncology services at Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital. The fact that our community stepped up to help us meet the challenges demonstrates the impact that cancer has had on our community. We are very fortunate to have been given this opportunity to establish a program to meet the long-term, future needs of cancer patients and their families."

Maryland is ranked seventh in cancer mortality among all the states and the District of Columbia, according to the most recent Maryland Cancer Registry statistics.

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