Mercy Announces $500,000 Gift for Cancer Center Capital Campaign

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center announced that Balise Motor Sales has made a $500,000 gift to Transforming Cancer Care – The Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center.

The Balise gift will support the 26,000-square-foot expansion of the cancer center that will bring radiation oncology services and medical oncology services together under one roof. By 2022, the demand for outpatient cancer services in this region is expected to grow by 26{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5}.

“While I knew cancer is a major health concern, I had no idea how great the need for cancer services is in our community,” said Jeb Balise, CEO of Balise Motor Sales.  “When my brother Mike (Balise) was diagnosed with cancer, a friend of mine put me in touch with a physician at Mercy, Dr. Mohamed Hamdani, who educated me about Mike’s condition and helped me understand that Mike wasn’t alone, and neither was I.”

A cancer survivor himself, Hamdani serves as chair of the capital campaign for the $15 million expansion of the Sister Caritas Cancer Center.

In addition to increasing treatment space, the project design will allow for enhanced communication among oncology providers, improve access to existing cancer center services, and provide a more private setting for patients during treatment.

“The Sister Caritas Cancer Center takes great pride in serving as a place of hope and healing for those who seek cancer care,” said Daniel Moen, president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System. “The generous support we have received from Jeb Balise, Mike Balise, and Balise Motor Sales is a testament to the vital role the  Cancer Center plays in the in the local community.”