Bloch gift boosts KU Hospital expansion

bloch-giftA donor gave University of Kansas Hospital a $10 million challenge match to go toward a $279 million expansion project.

KU Hospital on Wednesday announced the gift from philanthropist Annette Bloch, president of the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation.

The hospital intends to raise $100 million in private dollars for the Cambridge North Tower to be built at the northeast corner of 39th and Cambridge.

Annette Bloch speaks about the gift

The $10 million donation requires fundraisers to come up with $10 million more by June of 2016.

Since the challenge was issued, the effort has raised $1.37 million, hospital officials said in a press release.

Overall, with the Bloch grant, they have raised $34 million of the $100 million in private funds, they said.

The new building would house growing specialties like surgical oncology, neurology, neurosurgery and Ear, Nose and Throat.

Bloch said, “The growth of surgical cancer services at Cambridge North Tower will provide greater access to medical advancements for which the hospital and cancer center are nationally known.”

Greg Graves, chairman and CEO of Burns & McDonnell, and his wife, Donna, are leading the drive to raise the money.

He said, “Annette has challenged the community, and I am confident residents will respond.”

Bloch is a cancer survivor and she and her late husband have donated many millions of dollars for improving cancer care.

She gave the hospital $20 million in 2008 to expand cancer services.

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