News

Pardee makes $6 million cancer center goal

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 27, 2017

Two and half years ago, the Pardee Hospital Foundation launched a campaign to raise $6 million for the new comprehensive cancer center in a new $30 million on the hospital campus. On Wednesday, the foundation's executive director, Kimerly Hinkelman, announced to the hospital board of directors that the foundaiton had exceeded the goal — seven months ahead of schedule.

The foundation raised $6,374,731.35, with one of the last donation coming from one of Pardee's own, recently retired family practitioner Bob Webb and his wife, Linda. Using a real estate asset to facilitate a part-sale, part-donation “bargain sale” gift to the capital campaign, Dr. Webb and Mrs. Webb were able to make a more significant gift than with traditional monetary donations alone.

“Bob and Linda Webb’s gift is the kind of gift that really makes an impact for all parties involved,” said Hinkelman. “Not only did their gift help us go beyond our goal, it was given by someone who knows and loves Pardee. That means so much.” The Webbs will be honored with the naming of a chapel in the Cancer Center.

Hinkelman pointed to a handful of major gifts and close to 600 donors from the community as reasons for such a strong, early success.

"It just absolutely raised the level of fundraising for us because we uncovered new donors," Hinkelman told the board.

The Foundation kicked off their capital campaign to support the completion of the Pardee Cancer Center in April of 2015. The Pardee UNC Health Care opened the Cancer Center in December of 2016. The Foundation staff and capital campaign committee planned for a full three-year campaign.

“Our community really stepped up and delivered,” Hinkelman said. “Through the leadership of our committee chairs, Dr. Bill Medina and Marcia Caserio, and the tireless efforts of Debbie Rouse throughout the entire campaign, we were able to cultivate amazing relationships with donors who understood the vision for the new Pardee Cancer Center and ultimately supported that vision through their generosity.”

The cancer center has already raised the profile of Pardee's oncology practices, said Medina, who is also chair of the Pardee Board of Directors.

"I think it's going to help us recruit good people in the years ahead, which is going to be very important," he said. "And lastly, I think it's increasing the sense of pride among Pardee employees."

"I think we're all very proud of our building," added Pardee CEO Jay Kirby. "We're proud of what services we can provide in that building and we're proud to be associated with both Wingate University and the community college."

A rare partnership among the city of Hendersonville and Henderson County led to the completion of the $30 million building.

Hinkelman noted that the campaign had already experienced tremendous success early on with initial gifts from community members such as the late Norm Gordon and his wife, Marilyn, and Rakesh and Dolly Agarwal of Rug & Home. The campaign found renewed energy in 2016 with a $500,000 donation and $250,000 challenge gift from Brian Robinson, almost immediately propelling the campaign towards the $5 million mark. The final gift from the Webbs came in September, bringing the campaign to an end after two years and five months.