A $250,000 challenge grant is giving Shawnee's cancer-center renovation campaign a fresh burst of momentum. The dollar-for-dollar pledge could turn another $250,000 in community donations into half a million dollars for the project.
SSM Health's Shawnee cancer center already offers diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, MRI and CT services, along with technology typically found in much larger hospitals, according to SSM Health. The renovation campaign is aimed at expanding that local capacity while making treatment spaces more comfortable and efficient for patients and families.
Matching Grant Targets Cancer Center's Final Renovation Phase
The Paul Milburn Gift Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation will match donations to the SSM Health St. Anthony Foundation's campaign dollar for dollar, up to $250,000, The Journal Record reported. Contributions from individuals, businesses and philanthropic organizations will qualify until the full challenge grant has been claimed.
The funding is earmarked for the final phase of renovations, including an expanded infusion center, upgraded patient waiting and treatment areas, improved clinical workflows and updated technology. Once completed, the center is expected to serve more patients from Pottawatomie, Seminole, Lincoln and nearby rural counties without requiring as much travel for cancer treatment.
That closer-to-home goal matters in a region where distance can become part of the medical burden. SSM Health's 2024 community health assessment says rural communities often face fewer specialty services, fewer providers and longer travel distances to reach care, while the Shawnee hospital draws most of its patients from Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.
Earlier $3 Million Gift Helped Launch Construction
The new challenge grant builds on a $3 million commitment from the Avedis Foundation announced earlier this year. That gift supported the project's first phases, including the broader effort to modernize the cancer center and expand oncology access across rural Oklahoma.
SSM Health St. Anthony Foundation leaders are now urging residents, families, businesses and community groups to help capture the matching funds. The campaign will continue matching donations until the Paul Milburn Gift Fund's $250,000 commitment is fulfilled, according to The Journal Record.
