GRU receives $6 million from Masters Tournament for cancer research building
4/01/2014
Georgia Regents University will receive $6 million from the Masters Tournament to help fund a new cancer research building and a camp for children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. The gift was announced Feb. 18 at a press conference held by the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, which promotes and manages philanthropic efforts throughout the 13 counties that define the CSRA.
“Through the Masters Tournament, we remain committed to the tradition established by our founders to give back, and that includes sharing our resources with the community that supports us so graciously,” said Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament. “We see this research center and children’s camp as a way to help transform lives and serve the entire city, state and region for many years to come.”
Georgia CORE Board member and GRU Augusta Cancer Center Director Dr. Samir N. Khleif has helped develop the vision behind the cancer research center. When finished, the facility would expand current infrastructure to more than 155,000 square feet of clinical research space for more than 500 faculty, staff and researchers dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
“As a city and as a state, despite our existing resources in Augusta, we are still in need of more facilities to research and treat cancer,” he said. “We believe the leadership shown by the Masters Tournament from this initial donation through The Community Foundation will be the financial catalyst we need to make our campus in Augusta a leading resource throughout this region.”
The expanded research facility will assist the university to reach its goal of becoming a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, the second in the state along with Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
Next steps include fundraising. Provided the community can raise the remaining $8.5 million, the State of Georgia will appropriate an additional $45 million needed to complete the project.
The donation will also help fund the creation of Camp Lakeside, a collaboration among GRU Augusta Cancer Center, Children’s Hospital of Georgia and The Family Y. This facility, when complete, will accommodate more than 500 of CHOG’s most critical patients as well as hundreds of children from around the CSRA through The Family Y outreach program. To be located in Lincoln County, Ga., Camp Lakeside will be a place where children of all ages with disabilities and illnesses can take advantage of recreational activities in a medically safe environment.