Baker Boyer announces their Legacy Giving program’s second recipient. Baker Boyer held a special event on Monday, January 30th, in their Walla Walla Main Office lobby to present Providence St. Mary Foundation with a $50,000 contribution pledged over five years toward the Cancer Survivorship Clinic project.

Baker Boyer’s program, Legacy Giving, was created in 2016 and is designed to help alleviate some of the costs of building a non-profit organization’s legacy. Legacy Giving is for large-scale projects that positively impact the community Baker Boyer serves and will last five years or longer. This program was created as an opportunity for larger legacies to be built by providing financial support to help kick start major community projects.

“After taking a tour of the Cancer Center, we were impressed at their goal to provide survivor counseling services and what that could mean to our community, especially to those affected by this terrible disease. Baker Boyer is proud to be a part of the Cancer Survivorship Clinic legacy and honored to be asked to contribute to this great cause,” said Mark Kajita, President and CEO of Baker Boyer.

The Cancer Survivorship Clinic will reside at Providence St. Mary Medical Center and be the first of its kind in the region, available to St. Mary cancer patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Cancer Survivorship is more than surviving cancer. It starts from the time of diagnosis and continues after treatment. The Survivorship Clinic fills an important unmet need by providing a treatment plan for patient wellness and quality of life for those who experience cancer, including programs to help family, friends and caregivers. Working in concert with St. Mary’s oncology team, the Cancer Survivorship Clinic helps cancer patients live through and beyond their cancer diagnosis, and serves as an important resource in keeping their cancer in remission even after their treatment plan ends at the Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center.

“Launching the Cancer Survivorship Clinic is an important legacy we can leave to current and future generations dealing with this terrible disease,” said Chris Garratt, Executive Director of Providence St. Mary Foundation. “We are so appreciative that Baker Boyer Bank has made this major investment in local cancer care here at St. Mary.”

Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center is the primary oncology care center and regional cancer care leader for a population base of 171,245, encompassing nine counties in southeastern and northeastern Oregon. Since 1990, Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center has treated over 24,000 patients. Each year, just under 500 new patients are diagnosed with cancer at St. Mary. In 2014, 43% of newly diagnosed patients were Oregon residents, while 57% resided in Washington.

About Providence St. Mary Foundation:
In late 2011, Providence St. Mary Foundation became a not-for-profit organization, separate from the medical center, with a mission to provide philanthropic support to Providence St. Mary Medical Center. This important distinction ensures each and every dollar raised stays in the communities they serve in Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon.

About Providence St. Mary Medical Center:
Providence St. Mary has 223 credentialed healthcare providers representing primary care and a wide range of medical specialties. St. Mary employs more than 850 individuals, and is the 4th largest employer in Walla Walla County, according to the Port of Walla Walla. As part of their non-profit status and to fulfill their mission to care for the poor and vulnerable, St. Mary provides community benefit each year to address the health needs of the valley. In 2015, St. Mary provided over $14 million worth of community benefit including over $3 million in free or discounted medical care and over $300,000 in community health grants.

For local, non-profit organizations interested in applying for a Baker Boyer Legacy Giving donation, please contact Baker Boyer for qualifications and an application. The next application deadline is February 15, 2017.

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