Community Foundation awards grant of $250K to Outer Banks Hospital Outpatient Cancer Center

The Outer Banks Hospital president, Ronnie Sloan, and Outer Banks Hospital Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Charles Shelton, hosted Chris Sawin, Outer Banks Community Foundation (OBCF) President and CEO, OBCF Board Secretary Lynda Hester, and OBCF Board Member Jane Webster, to review plans for the future Outpatient Cancer Center. [submitted photo]

Outer Banks Community Foundation has awarded a multi-year, capital grant of $250,000 to support construction of the world-class Outpatient Cancer Center at the Outer Banks Hospital.

The 15,000-square-foot state-of-the-art center will co-locate all of the hospital’s cancer services under one roof to provide compassionate, coordinated, and innovative cancer care to the Outer Banks community and surrounding regions.

“This grant to the Outer Banks Hospital Cancer Center reflects the type of investment that our founders and early donors envisioned when the Community Foundation was established forty years ago,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Chris Sawin.

“Since 1982, investments made to the Community Fund and other funds continue to build our capacity to be involved in our region’s most pressing projects, causes, and opportunities,” Sawin said. “We invite our family of donors to join us in this effort.”

The 2019 Dare County Community Health Needs Assessment demonstrated that cancer is the leading cause of death in Dare County, a harsh reality for our small community.

Since 2014, The Outer Banks Hospital has been focused on elevating cancer care services and is one of a small number of hospitals with 25 beds or less to have achieved an accredited cancer program through the Commission on Cancer.

The goal with this new cancer center is to continue to improve the quality of life and experience for patients and caregivers who are facing the uncertainties that come with a cancer diagnosis.

“The Community Foundation is a tremendous partner and this contribution will make a lasting impact on the lives of those who require and deserve tightly coordinated cancer services in one convenient location,” said Ronnie Sloan, FACHE, president of The Outer Banks Hospital.

“This greathearted commitment puts us over the halfway point in our capital campaign and we celebrate that achievement,” said Sloan. “Still, we know that it will require hard work and the support of our entire community to cross the finish line.”