ST. JOSEPH –  In the spirit of his late wife’s dedication to the fight against cancer, Thomas Yeager has pledged $1 million to the Lakeland Health Foundations.

The gift will help underwrite construction of Lakeland HealthCare’s regional cancer center, a new medical facility to be located at the Lakeland Health Park in Royalton Township, St. Joseph.

In honor of the gift, the center will be named the Marie Yeager Cancer Center.

For many years, Marie Yeager cared for patients as an oncology nurse at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph.

Marie and Tom (a member of Lakeland HealthCare’s Board of Directors) raised their two children in the St. Joseph area and have four grandchildren.

In August 2008, Marie passed away after an extended illness.

“As a longtime oncology nurse, Marie was deeply committed to providing her patients with compassionate cancer care,” Tom said. “This cause was very dear to her heart, and our family knows she would be proud to continue to make a difference for southwest Michigan patients affected by cancer.”

The Marie Yeager Cancer Center will provide a full range of oncology services in one accessible location, including diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, education, a resource library, screenings, outpatient surgery, chemotherapy, infusion services, physical therapy, a pharmacy and even an on-site boutique and appearance center for current and former cancer patients.

The Marie Yeager Cancer Center will be a two-story, 30,000 square-foot building that will connect to the existing Center for Outpatient Services.

Similar to the new patient addition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph, the cancer center will incorporate evidence-based design principles to enhance clinical outcomes and the patient experience.

“We are immensely grateful for the Yeager family’s generous support for this project,” said Bill Johnson, president of the Lakeland Health Foundations.

“Lakeland is honored to name the new cancer center after Marie. It is a fitting legacy for someone who exemplified Lakeland’s mission of putting the patient first.”

Lakeland hopes to break ground for the new regional cancer center this spring at the Lakeland Health Park, with a projected opening date in the fall of 2011.

For more information about supporting the new cancer center, contact the Lakeland Health Foundation at (269) 927-5143. Further details on the progress of the cancer center will be released in the coming weeks. For more information about oncology services available at Lakeland HealthCare, visit www.lakelandhealth.org.