Olathe Medical Center reaches challenge grant goal for new cancer center

The Olathe Medical Center Charitable Foundation said it has met a fundraising goal required to receive a $500,000 grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation for the hospital’s new cancer center that’s scheduled to open in early 2018.

The Mabee Foundation’s challenge grant required reaching $2.5 million in fundraising for the project.

The medical center foundation said this week it is still accepting donations for the cancer center.

“We are extremely grateful to our donors for the support they have given to our cancer patients and oncology staff,” said Frank H.Devocelle, president and chief executive officer of the Olathe Health System.

Construction of the $25 million cancer center on the Olathe Medical Center campus got underway last month.

The hospital system said the approximately 25,000-square-foot facility is needed, as nearly 3,200 new cancer cases are diagnosed each year in the hospital's service area of Johnson, Miami, Franklin and Linn counties. The cancer center will consolidate most existing outpatient cancer services into one location, the hospital said.

The Star

This story was originally published November 11, 2016 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Olathe Medical Center reaches challenge grant goal for new cancer center."