Sutter Health in Sacramento, California, will establish a new cancer center in Santa Cruz on the back of a $30 million donation from the Jean and E. Floyd Kvamme Foundation.
The cancer center is part of a larger $50 million campaign to improve cancer care and research in the region. The new facility is expected to open in 2030.
The 44,000-square-foot Jean and E. Floyd Kvamme Advanced Cancer Center will combine a number of different services under one roof, including radiation oncology, medical oncology, infusion therapy and advanced imaging to treat early- through late-stage cancers.
“This gift from the Kvamme Foundation is a powerful testament to what’s possible when philanthropy and purpose align,” said Ken McNeely, chair of the Sutter Health board of directors. “The new cancer center will not only elevate the standard of cancer care in Santa Cruz – it will serve as a beacon of hope for families across the region.”
WHAT’S THE IMPACT
The cancer center is part of Sutter Health’s broader effort to expand cancer care access across Northern California, with additional centers planned in Santa Rosa, Modesto, Yuba City, and the Silicon Valley and East Bay regions.
For the Kvamme family, the donation is personal. Jean Kvamme, a mother, philanthropist and community member, battled cancer and passed away in 2020 after more than 60 years of marriage to Floyd.
“We are honored to make this commitment and investment in memory of Jean and in support of all families affected by cancer,” said E. Floyd Kvamme of the Kvamme Foundation. “We did not want to sit on the sidelines when we can be part of the solution. Our hope is that this center not only brings comfort and care to those in need but also helps accelerate the journey toward a cure. Jean’s spirit will live on through every life touched by this facility.”
Sutter Health is further enhancing access to care in the Santa Cruz area with the expansion of its Watsonville Care Center on Green Valley Road. The expanded Watsonville center will provide space for five additional primary care physicians as well as rotations for specialists in obstetrics, nursing and behavioral healthcare.
THE LARGER TREND
Sutter Health is the largest health system on the Central Coast. About 115,000 patients from Santa Cruz County and surrounding areas have access to Sutter’s integrated network of primary and specialty care, which includes the nationally acclaimed Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center of Santa Cruz, a 30-bed acute care hospital, and Palo Alto Medical Foundation outpatient clinics and medical offices in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Soquel, Aptos, Capitola and Scotts Valley.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
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