DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Baylor Health Care System Foundation announced that legendary oil and gas entrepreneur and philanthropist T. Boone Pickens has pledged $10 million in support of Baylor initiatives. In recognition of this gift, and in a move that links the innovative business leader with a leading cancer program, Baylor is honoring Pickens by naming its new cancer hospital the Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital.
The recently completed, 175,000 square-foot Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital is the first dedicated cancer hospital in North Texas. Last year, Baylor also opened a new 467,000 square-foot outpatient cancer facility. The entire complex, which is fully integrated and complementary in design, represents a $350 million investment to anchor high-caliber cancer care in the North Texas — all close to home where patients can be supported by their families and loved ones.
"No matter what industry you're in, from energy to healthcare, it takes bold people who have vision, a commitment to excellence and a passion for efficiency to reach new levels of success," said Pickens. "Baylor brings that attitude and commitment to providing health care to all North Texans, whether it is advanced prevention, screening, diagnosis or treatment."
At the Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital, Pickens and Baylor will honor the donor's 50 year friendship with the late Harley Hotchkiss, a fellow oilman, philanthropist and former owner of the NHL Calgary Flames. Two years ago, Hotchkiss travelled from Canada to Baylor to seek treatment for his late-stage prostate cancer. Unfortunately, his disease was advanced, and in June 2011 he passed away. A plaque at the cancer hospital will commemorate Pickens' lifelong friendship with Hotchkiss.
"Having T. Boone Pickens' name on the cancer hospital serves as a daily reminder to our patients, their families and Baylor caregivers that we stand for innovation and leadership in this special place of hope and healing. The men and women of Baylor Health Care System are most grateful for this very generous investment in serving the patient, which is at the center of everything we do," said Joel Allison, president and chief executive officer of Baylor Health Care System.
The Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital, located at 3535 Worth Street in Dallas, opened in January 2012. The 96-bed facility, adjacent to the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, has been designed in consideration of the unique complexities of cancer patients and their families. The new hospital will feature all private rooms, many with ICU capabilities.
Baylor understands the powerful impact patients' support systems can play on their healing. The Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital is designed to care not just for the patients but their families and friends as well.
- Surroundings are designed to create an environment of healing, calming and spirituality for patients and their families on the cancer journey.
- Accommodations allow families and caregivers to stay on-site in comfort, including larger patient rooms, shower facilities and laundry facilities.
- An Oncology Evaluation & Treatment Center enables established cancer patients to access urgent care in an environment specially-suited to these patients' complex needs.
- Dedicated facilities include a Blood & Marrow Transplant Unit, Apheresis Center, Oncology Pharmacy, Infusion Center and Processing Lab for stem cells and bone marrow products.
"T. Boone Pickens' gift reinforces that Baylor is a world-class health care system. It provides a valuable platform for us to talk about Baylor's defining culture and to show the positive impact we have in our communities. We are excited and honored to have a relationship with a leader known for giving to institutions aligned with a focus on caring for the whole patient. We are proud of his endorsement," said Rowland K. Robinson, president of Baylor Health Care System Foundation.
Baylor Health Care System's affiliated cancer care facilities treat more than 6,000 cancer inpatients and 90,000 outpatients each year, making it the number one choice for cancer care in North Texas. The cancer program at Baylor is focused on delivering safe, quality, compassionate patient care. The quality of its cancer program is supported by an active clinical research program and the hospital's status as a teaching hospital, helping to train the next generation of cancer specialists. Baylor's approach to patient care starts with clinical expertise and is made complete by a focus on the social and emotional toll that cancer takes on patients and their families. This understanding of and care for the whole patient has fueled the growth of the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center.
About T. Boone Pickens
T. Boone Pickens, an oilman, entrepreneur and alternative energy advocate, has given nearly $1 billion in philanthropic gifts to causes including education, medical research/development and services, athletics and corporate wellness, at-risk youth, the entrepreneurial process, conservation and wildlife programs and a wide-range of public policy initiatives. His contributions to a wide-range of causes have landed him on Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of top U.S. philanthropists. He is among the American individuals and families who have taken The Giving Pledge, committing to give the majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations.
Pickens is currently chairman and CEO of BP Capital, which operates energy-focused commodity and equity funds. Four years ago Pickens launched "The Pickens Plan," a campaign for American energy independence. The Pickens Plan proposes using America's natural gas reserves to build a bridge to the future — a blueprint to reduce OPEC oil dependence by harnessing domestic energy sources and buying time to develop new technologies to harness wind and solar power and enhance the efficiency of our electrical grid.
About Baylor Health Care System
Baylor Health Care System is a not-for-profit, faith-based supporting organization providing services to a network of acute care hospitals and related health care entities that provide patient care, medical education, research and community service. Baylor recorded more than 2.8 million patient encounters, $4 billion in total operating revenue, $5.2 billion in total assets and $502 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2011 (as reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services). Baylor's network of more than 300 access points includes 30 owned/operated/ ventured/affiliated hospitals; joint ventured ambulatory surgical centers; satellite outpatient locations; senior centers and more than 180 HealthTexas Provider Network physician clinics. For information visit BaylorHealth.com.
About Baylor Health Care System Foundation
Baylor Health Care System Foundation, a separately incorporated not-for-profit organization, raises and manages charitable funds to support Baylor Health Care System. Since the foundation was established in 1978, it has distributed more than $457 million to Baylor. More than 10,000 active donors, including individuals, corporations and other private foundations, support it. For more information about Baylor Health Care System Foundation, visit Give.BaylorHealth.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jef Tingley, The Powell Group
jt@powellgroup.net or (469) 371-3396
Nikki Mitchell, Baylor Health Care System
nikkimit@baylorhealth.edu or (214) 820-6961
This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com
http://www.cisionwire.com/baylor/r/t--boone-pickens-invests--10-million-in-baylor-health-care-system,c9308990