For cancer survivors, Melissa Rufenacht and Marcy Blair, the new cancer center at AdventHealth Castle Rock is a Godsend for the local community.
“Unless you have been diagnosed with cancer, you don’t know there is no cancer center,” Marcy, the chairman of the foundation for AdventHealth Castle Rock, states. “You have to get in your car and drive.”
“When you have to have chemo, you need to have someone take you, and possibly have someone else pick up your kids, all when you’re not feeling well,” Marcy continues.
When asked three and a half years ago to chair the fundraising, Melissa says, “I’ve never chaired a $14 million campaign, but let’s do this! My heart is here in Castle Rock, and I want to take care of people in our community.”
The Schraders, a wonderful local family from Castle Rock, made a substantial donation to the cause after learning about this endeavor. Their name is proudly emblazoned on the building, showcasing their beautiful generosity to the community.
Additionally, the Rock of Hope Gala in February, sponsored by AdventHealth Castle Rock, which raised funds for the cancer center, exceeded all expectations.
“The energy of the night and people coming together, I think that’s why it was so successful,” Melissa explains. “When they asked who in the room is either going through cancer or is a cancer survivor, stand up, and then who has a family member that’s going through it, and literally everyone was standing.”
“The Douglas County commissioners gave us $1 million at the gala, and the Schraders had put it out there that they would pledge $1 million more if someone would match,” Marcy recalls. “They brought up this big fake check for the picture…it was fabulous!”
Now, with $11 million towards their $14 million goal, the third floor of the new AdventHealth Castle Rock building is on track to be finished by year end, supporting cancers such as breast, prostate, lung, and more. It wasn’t easy to get where they are, as some people believed they wouldn’t gain enough support for the cause.
“We reached out to people and said, Do you think this campaign is possible? Do you think the community will rally to raise the $14 million to contribute to the campaign?” Melissa remembers. “I had a woman come up to me and say that she didn’t think so, and she started crying because we were over halfway at that point.”
Melissa and Marcy took it all in stride, and the money continued to flow in from all across the area.
“We’re over 10.5 million now,” Marcy says proudly. “I don’t know where the next $3.5 million is going to come from, but we didn’t know where the first $10.5 million was going to come from.”
She goes on to say, “We’re a very generous community, and when people really hear the stories and find out the need, there isn’t anyone who hasn’t been touched by cancer.”
From the third floor, individual infusion bays backing onto windows that showcase the mountains, to a room where the windows open and the sun shines in for patients waiting for treatment or just receiving it, to the future garden-level radiation center, this cancer center’s impact will be felt far and wide.
The hope is that by February 2026, the Rock of Hope Gala will be a celebration party marking AdventHealth Castle Rock's achievement of reaching $14 million.
Reflecting on this amazing endeavor, Marcy says, “Anything you can do for families, whether the journey is going to have a successful outcome or sometimes a heartache, surround them and keep them close to their community and the people who love them.”
“I’ve never chaired a $14 million campaign, but let’s do this!"