Baptist Health Foundation Receives $1M Gift to Benefit Women’s Cancer Center at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute
MIAMI, FL – July 29, 2024 – Baptist Health Foundation announced today that it has received a $1 million donation from the Patrick P. Lee Foundation in support of the planned Women’s Cancer Center at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute. The gift will be recognized at the Center with the naming of the Patrick and Cynthia Lee Visitors Lounge. A naming ceremony and unveiling will be scheduled upon completion of the facility.
“We’re very grateful for the Lee family’s generosity,” said Alex Villoch, CEO of Baptist Health Foundation. “Their gift will create a legacy in South Florida, providing women diagnosed with cancer with the advanced treatments and patient care resources they need, all close to home.”
Patrick and Cynthia Lee have been longtime donors to Baptist Health. Mr. Lee is a founding director on the Miami Cancer Institute Operating Board and is a founding member of Baptist Health’s Ocean Reef Advisory Board. The Patrick P. Lee Foundation is a private non-profit organization with a focus on higher education scholarships and mental health.
“Cynthia and I are grateful to Miami Cancer Institute for providing innovative and comprehensive cancer care in our community,” said Patrick P. Lee. “It is especially fitting that this groundbreaking cancer center will be located in the pavilion named for Brian Keeley, whose decades of service to Baptist Health has been exceptional. I also could not be more pleased to continue my involvement with the Institute under the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Michael Zinner.”
Miami Cancer Institute’s future Women’s Cancer Center will provide the most advanced treatment for breast cancer, which makes up about 27 percent of patients treated at Miami Cancer Institute, as well as gynecological and skin cancers. In addition to the cancer care, the facility provides plastic reconstructive surgical visits and Mohs surgery for skin cancer. It will also offer patients the opportunity to have their chemotherapy infusions on site and to participate in additional clinical trials. The state-of-the-art 115,000 sq. ft. facility will feature a contemporary light-filled environment and will be located on the campus of Baptist Health Baptist Hospital in the new Keeley Pavilion, named for Baptist Health’s visionary former CEO, Brian E. Keeley. The Center will offer a comprehensive array of services, renowned cancer specialists and a holistic, compassionate approach to care.
Michael Zinner, M.D., CEO and executive medical director of Miami Cancer Institute, remarked, “The Lees have been incredibly supportive of the Institute through the years. They fully understand the critical need for state-of-the-art cancer care and research in our community. This donation benefiting the Women’s Cancer Center will support the Institute’s growth and help strengthen our standing as one of the leading cancer centers in the nation.”
Miami Cancer Institute, which opened in 2017, cares for nearly 1,300 patients each day. The Institute provides unparalleled expertise in individual cancers, and access to the world’s latest cancer discoveries, most effective treatments and best outcomes – all right here in South Florida.
About Baptist Health Foundation
The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health South Florida. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Foundation and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 27,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health South Florida has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and The Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health South Florida has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
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