This gift symbolizes a major investment in
world-class care for patients with colorectal cancer in
Tampa Bay and beyond.
TAMPA,
Fla., July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tampa
General Hospital (TGH) Foundation has received a generous and
substantial gift from philanthropists John
and Susan Sykes to establish a new Center of Excellence in
Colorectal Cancer at the TGH Cancer Institute.
"Patients come to Tampa General for world-class care and
next-generation treatments and therapies. Thanks to the generosity
of John and Susan Sykes, we can
further enhance our ability to deliver the highest level of
academic-based medicine and cancer care," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General
Hospital. "John and Susan Sykes
share our belief that through innovation and investment, we can
improve patient outcomes and propel clinical-driven treatments and
life-saving care — care that can only be delivered by the region's
singular academic-based health system and by leading-edge
physicians like Dr. Jorge
Marcet."
The Center, to be known as the Susan and John Sykes Center of
Excellence in Colorectal Cancer at the TGH Cancer Institute, will
support the patient care, education and research mission of TGH and
the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in the USF Health Morsani
College of Medicine. Under the leadership of Marcet, professor in
the Department of Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine,
and Medical Director of Colorectal Surgery Services at the TGH
Cancer Institute, the Sykes Center of Excellence will focus on
providing the highest level of care in the prevention and treatment
of colon and rectal cancers, and other complex colorectal diseases.
Marcet and his illustrious team are at the
forefront of enhancing translational research to move
scientific discoveries more quickly and efficiently into
practice.
"Over the past few years, we've made excellent strides in the
treatment and care of colorectal cancers," said Dr. Eduardo M. Sotomayor, vice president and
executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute. "This
transformative endowment from John and
Susan Sykes will enable us to build a framework to make the
Sykes Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer a nationwide
destination in clinical expertise for those suffering from this
disease while providing a more sophisticated level of treatment and
innovative care to patients. We are beyond grateful for their
support and generosity."
The Sykes' have been inspired by Marcet's groundbreaking care
for patients in the diagnosis, treatment and advancement of
colorectal cancer care over the years. Marcet's support for an
earlier screening age for colorectal cancer has dramatically
improved patient outcomes.
"As enduring supporters of Tampa General Hospital, we've greatly
admired the unique combination of clinical expertise and top-tier
compassionate care given by Dr. Marcet and the colorectal team at
the TGH Cancer Institute," said John and
Susan Sykes. "We are excited to help establish a new Center
of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer, with the goal of continuously
advancing the treatment and care for patients today and
tomorrow."
"Through their philanthropy and kindness, the Sykes' will play
an active role in helping patients to have more opportunities for
treatment and a better quality of life," Marcet said. "We are
endlessly grateful for this highly meaningful gift. At a time
when colon cancer rates are rising in people younger than 50 and in
an environment of rapid advances in cancer care, an important role
of the Susan and John Sykes Center of Excellence in Colorectal
Cancer will be to serve as a resource for the education and
training of future physicians and nurses as experts in the field,
and will help foster innovation in the development of new and
improved treatment approaches for colorectal diseases in our
community."
"We are so honored that the Sykes' have chosen to support Tampa
General and the Cancer Institute with this generous gift," said
Frann Leppla, senior vice president
of development and chief philanthropy officer of the TGH
Foundation. "It will significantly boost our efforts to drive
innovation and provide world-class, research-driven care to
patients across the Tampa Bay
region and the state."
In 2022, the TGH Cancer Institute earned a three-year
accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a quality program
established by the American College of Surgeons. In 2023,
Newsweek listed the TGH Cancer Institute in the top 3% of
cancer hospitals in the United
States and Becker's Hospital Review named the
academic health system to its list of 100 Top Hospitals and Health
Systems with Great Oncology Programs.
Tampa General's cancer physicians offer the highest level of
multidisciplinary care in the treatment of lung, colorectal,
breast, prostate, gynecologic, head and neck, neurologic and
hematologic malignancies, including specialized care in organ
transplantation, bone marrow transplant and cell therapies within
the framework of a nationally recognized academic health care
center.
For more information about the TGH Cancer Institute, visit
https://www.tgh.org/institutes-and-services/cancer-institute.
ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL
HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit,
academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America
and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level
l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the
highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World
Report's 2023-24 Best Hospitals, with six specialties ranking among
the top 50 best hospital programs in the
United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as
a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top
Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to
growing and developing its team members is recognized by three
prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in
the 2024 America's Best Large Employers, the 2023 America's Best
Employers for Women, and the top 25 in Florida in the 2023 America's Best Employers
by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region,
caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in
fiscal year 2022, provided a net community benefit of approximately
$240.3 million in the form of health
care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial
support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest
adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching
hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five
medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically
injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the
advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally
accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed
Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast
of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at
TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit,
and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General
Hospital's footprint includes TGH North which is comprised of three
hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical
Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH
Outpatient Center, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging
outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm
Beach counties. Tampa Bay
area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH
Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a
medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone,
tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital
(tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa
General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open
a clinical command center that provides real-time situational
awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower
cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.
ABOUT USF HEALTH
USF Health's mission is to envision
and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the
College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the
School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the
Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF
Health's multispecialty physicians' group. The University of South Florida, a high-impact research
university dedicated to student success and committed to community
engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than
$6 billion. Through hundreds of
millions of dollars in research activity each year, USF is a leader
in solving global problems and improving lives. For more
information, visit health.usf.edu.
Media Contact:
Beth Hardy, APR
|
USF Health Media
Contact: Sarah Worth
|
Assistant
Manager
|
Director of
Communications
|
Publications &
Physician Communications
|
(813)
928-0861
|
(727) 510-6363
(cell)
|
sworth@usf.edu
|
ehardy@tgh.org
|
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tgh-cancer-institute-receives-transformational-gift-to-create-new-center-of-excellence-in-colorectal-cancer-at-tampa-general-hospital-302196985.html
SOURCE Tampa General Hospital