Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation Receives $1 Million Dollar Gift and Reaches Goal for New Chemotherapy Unit Campaign

St. John’s, NL: Today, the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is announcing a generous donation of more than $1 million from Conception Bay South lawyer and businessman, Robert R. Regular. This generous gift completes the $5 Million goal of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation for the In This Together Campaign to build a new Chemotherapy Unit at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre.

“We are thrilled to receive this extraordinary contribution from Mr. Regular,” said Karl Smith, Chair of the In This Together Campaign. “These funds have been designated towards the build of a new chemotherapy unit for the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre here in St. John’s. The Foundation launched a campaign entitled “In This Together” with a fundraising goal of $5 million to construct a new state-of-the-art chemotherapy unit to replace the infrastructure at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre. We are profoundly grateful to Mr. Regular for his philanthropy and recognizing the importance of enhancing cancer care for cancer patients and their families in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“I made a promise to myself several years ago, after witnessing my client and friend, the late Chesley Penney, make a substantial gift for a significant cause, that I would one day, do the same. Almost two (2) years ago, I decided that the beneficiary of my gift would be the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation after seeing many family members from mine and my wife’s family, including my brother, sister, and three nieces, receive cancer diagnoses within a short period of time,” said Mr. Regular. “I was inspired, and, felt compelled to make this donation to assist in the completion of a new Chemotherapy Unit which is so desperately needed and is such an important project.”

Debbie Walsh, Vice President of Eastern Health says, “Collaboration and partnerships are inherent throughout Eastern Health and assist with creating opportunities and addressing challenges. We are committed to finding innovative solutions to the challenges we face, as well as to bringing together organizations and stakeholders to support key initiatives in health care. The partnership that exists between Eastern Health and the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is essential to the work we do and we thank Mr. Regular for his generous gift to cancer care. This initiative will create capacity for growth and expansion of cancer service into the future and we look forward to issuing the tenders for construction for the Chemotherapy Unit this summer.”

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The Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is a provincial charitable organization raising funds to enhance treatment and supportive care programs for cancer patients, fund local cancer research initiatives and provide continuing education opportunities for staff of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre and affiliated cancer programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Robert R. Regular has been practicing law in Conception Bay South since 1987. He is a seasoned and experienced lawyer in most aspects of the law after having served the needs of thousands of clients. Mr. Regular is also an entrepreneur with several businesses throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario, New York and New Jersey.

About Eastern Health – Eastern Health is the largest, integrated health authority in Newfoundland and Labrador employing approximately 13,000 dedicated employees, over 600 medical staff, and is supported by more than 2,000 volunteers, including members of numerous auxiliaries and fundraising foundations. With an annual budget of approximately $1.49 billion, the authority offers the full continuum of health and community services including public health, long-term care, community services, hospital care and unique provincial programs and services. Serving a population of over 300,000, Eastern Health’s geographic boundaries extend from St. John’s west to Port Blandford including all communities on the Avalon, Burin and Bonavista Peninsulas.

QUICK FACTS

• Lawyer and businessman Robert R. Regular has donated more than $1 Million to the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation
• This is the closing gift to the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation’s capital campaign “In This Together” towards their goal of raising $5 Million to build a new Chemotherapy Unit for the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre.
• The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador are supporting the project through a $1.5 Million investment to build a new Pharmacy to be located in the Chemotherapy Unit.
• 1 in 2 people in Newfoundland and Labrador will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• The rate of cancer diagnosis is expected to increase 40% by 2028.
• To learn more about the fundraising campaign visit www.inthistogethernl.ca

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For more information, please contact:

Lynette Hillier

Executive Director

Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation

709-631-9925