RVH receives record-setting donation to support expansion of cancer centre

The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre announced the largest philanthropic donation in its history Friday.

Simcoe County residents Catherine and David Hudson have pledged a historic 10 million dollar donation to RVH's Keep Life Wild campaign to support the expansion of the cancer centre.

RVH's CEO, Gail Hunt, says the money will help ensure people are treated sooner and closer to home.

"Our plan for the expansion of the cancer centre is about more than just a bigger building. It's about what will happen inside that building. It's about caring for more people with more staff with advanced specialized skills and more state-of-the-art equipment," says Hunt.

David Hudson lost his sister Lara to a rare form of breast cancer at age 35. He says their donation was made because they recognize the hospital's role across the region and the role it will play in the years to come.

"It really was the amazing people we met that run the cancer centre day in and day out who inspired us to get on board and be a part of the Keep Life Wild campaign," says Catherine Hudson.

"What we are doing will spur on others, possibly other fortunate families like ours, who might be living in or enjoying our amazing Simcoe Muskoka region," says David Hudson.

The donation will also go towards creating 240 new beds, an expansion to its critical care unit, surgical suites, neonatal intensive care and urgent care departments.

"With this announcement today, along with many donations already made, including those from many of you here in this room the foundation has reached the halfway mark in their goal to grant 100 million dollars towards our expansion plans," says Hunt.

In honour of the family's generosity, the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre will be renamed the David and Catherine Hudson Regional Cancer Centre.