June 24, 2011
COLUMBUS – Sharen and Charles Turney, and their son Matthew, have made a $1 million commitment to support the construction of the new Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), helping further Ohio State University's vision for a cancer-free world. The new OSUCCC – James is part of the $1 billion expansion project at The Ohio State University Medical Center, the single largest construction and expansion project in the history of the university.
The Turneys are frequent supporters of programs at The Ohio State University. Sharen, president and chief executive officer of Victoria's Secret, is currently serving as the Victoria's Secret team captain for Pelotonia, a bike ride that funds cancer research at OSUCCC – James. The Turneys are making an additional $50,000 donation to the institution as part of the Victoria's Secret Peloton gift.
"As our family has learned about the tremendous research being done at The James, we are more compelled than ever to support this important work," said Sharen. "Cancer touches us all – I lost both of my parents to the disease. We are confident that a cure will be found, and we want to support The James in finding it."
The Turneys' other charitable work in central Ohio includes Nationwide Children's Hospital, the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, United Way of Central Ohio, the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts and the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
"Our vision is to create a cancer-free world," says Dr. Michael Caligiuri, director of Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center and CEO of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, "where elite physicians and researchers unlock the mysteries of why we get sick and, using those discoveries, move from treating cancer to preventing it from ever occurring. The Turney family shares that vision, and their support helps us move closer to a world without cancer. We are incredibly grateful."
The new 276-cancer bed hospital will provide an environment that inspires and enhances collaboration among a wide variety of experts and disciplines at Ohio State to prevent, detect, treat and cure cancer.
"The new James will be shining beacon of hope, a world-class facility that will give Ohio State cancer scientists, researchers and clinicians access to each other and the patients they serve, breaking down walls and opening doors to new discoveries, therapies and cures," says Caligiuri.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (cancer.osu.edu) is one of only 40 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States designated by the National Cancer Institute and was recently awarded the highest ranking possible – exceptional – by NCI. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top cancer hospitals in the nation, The James is the 205-bed adult patient-care component of the cancer program at The Ohio State University. The OSUCCC – James is one of only seven centers in the country funded by the NCI to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials.
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Click here for a high-quality photograph of Sharen and Charles Turney: http://go.osu.edu/Dn4
Contact: Eileen Scahill, Medical Center Public Affairs and Media Relations, 614-293-3737, or Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu