Historic $93M in donations funds Sarasota Memorial's cancer center

The Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation has raised more than $93 million for its “Leading with Care” cancer campaign that has supported the development of the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, according to a statement from the health care system's philanthropic arm. A recent donation helped achieve that level, making it the largest fundraising campaign in the foundation's 48-year history.

More than $21 million of the funds came from Susan Milman, whose $16 million gift announced in early April will support the outpatient cancer pavilion that is slated to open in late 2025 at the Jellison Cancer Institute. It will be called the Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion in honor of her family and will house an expanded breast health center with radiation oncology, infusion, brachytherapy, outpatient surgery and the latest diagnostic imaging technology.

Other buildings at the Jellison Cancer Institute include a radiation oncology center and inpatient and surgical oncology tower that opened in 2020 and 2021, officials say.