Bob Pitts first noticed his severe abdominal pain while at work one day. It persisted long enough that he went to see his doctor about it. His pain was believed to be an acute case of diverticulitis. But when another painful episode landed Bob in the emergency room, scans revealed four large tumors.

Bob goes to Springfield every other Monday for chemotherapy. He's thankful for the great care you support, but he wishes he didn't have to travel so far.

“I either have to get up super early, or go after work,” he says. "That half-hour drive to Springfield to spend six hours in a chair really ruins your day.”

Bob is even more concerned with his drive home.

“I worry about that drive because the chemo affects you in different ways. Sometimes, it makes my eyes jittery, and driving back from Springfield is hard.”

Thanks to your generosity, cancer care is coming to Urbana. A partnership between The James Cancer Network at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Mercy Health is repurposing the McAuley Center in Urbana. Local patients like Bob will soon receive lifesaving chemotherapy treatments close to home.

“It will be great,” he says. “I already go to the hospital here to get blood work before my chemo. If I could have everything right there, it would be safe and convenient. Plus, I'd save wear and tear on my car and gas money.”