Cancer Center’s Arthur J. Merovick Endowment Fund for Patient Assistance Reaches $750,000
Since 1949, Cancer Center of Santa Barbara has been committed to delivering superb local cancer care through the recruitment of highly trained medical personnel, the timely acquisition of new technology, and active participation in clinical research. At the core of the organization’s mission is making quality cancer care accessible to everyone in our community regardless of their ability to pay.
The Center’s ability to deliver on this commitment was recently strengthened with the establishment of the Arthur J. Merovick Endowment Fund for Patient Assistance. The fund was created in honor of Art Merovick and his 17-year tenure as Cancer Center’s Director of Development, during which time he helped the Cancer Center to remain on the forefront of cancer care and assist cancer patients and their families in our community by raising more than $42 million.
Cancer Center’s Board of Trustees pledged to match all donations made in honor of Mr. Merovick with funds from the general endowment up to $500,000 with the hope of raising $1 million or more. To kick-start the fund, Mr. Merovick’s children presented a check for $200,000 on behalf of their family’s foundation. To date, the Arthur J. Merovick Fund has reached a total of $750,000.
The timing of this fund’s establishment is critical. Last year, Cancer Center contributed $3.5 million worth of charity care to patients who could not afford treatment or were not adequately covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Cancer treatments can be expensive, and the current economy has left many community members uninsured or underinsured, and a growing population is unable to afford potentially life-saving treatments. Support of the Arthur J. Merovick Fund means the world-class care offered by CCSB’s medical team will continue to be available to everyone in our community who faces a cancer diagnosis, even if they lack financial resources.
Cancer Center’s new Director of Development is Rob Dunton, M.B.A. He brings with him a strong a background in fundraising and marketing, most recently as the Annual Fund and Major Gifts Director at Cate School in Carpinteria. “Nothing would please me more than to build an endowment in honor of a man who has given so much to this community,” explains Mr. Dunton. “Helping the less fortunate when they need it most is something Art was very passionate about during his years at Cancer Center. I am confident others will rally to join in this project as we strive to raise $1 million or more for this worthy cause.”
Those interested in supporting charitable care at Cancer Center of Santa Barbara are encouraged to call Rob Dunton, Director of Development, at (805) 898-3620 or visit www.ccsb.org/donate.
The Cancer Center of Santa Barbara is an independent, not-for-profit corporation, providing state-of-the-art cancer treatment. Since 1949, through the charitable giving of families and foundations, the Cancer Center has stayed in the vanguard of comprehensive, non-surgical, outpatient cancer care. By retaining highly trained and devoted medical personnel, acquiring the latest technology and protocols, and integrating patient support and wellness programs, the Cancer Center treats those on the journey to live with, through, and beyond cancer.