Press Releases

Thornhills Kick Off Oncology Campaign

Circleville, OH -- January 3, 2005 Larry and Jeanie Thornhill want to make a personal difference when it comes to cancer care in Pickaway County. For this reason, they recently made a $5,000 donation to the Berger Health Foundation's Oncology Fund. This is the first step in the Foundation's goal to raise $30,000 in community support to create an Oncology Center on Berger Hospital's main campus. The center will occupy the east end of the Noecker Building's first floor, and feature Dr. Sushil Jain's outpatient office, a chemotherapy suite, an American Cancer Society Resource Center, conference space for family meetings, and an area for the display and sale of cosmetic supplies for oncology patients. The center will also have a separate entrance and exterior canopy.

For Thornhill, who is Berger Health System's CEO, his contribution is a personal decision. As a cancer survivor, Thornhill commented, "unless you have personally faced the words, 'I'm sorry to tell you, but you have cancer,' you can never truly appreciate the levels of emotion and anguish one goes through. Your immediate reaction is to circle the wagons and hold on to family and friends while you begin one of the most difficult journeys in your life. This journey becomes a lot easier if you can remain in a setting which is comfortable and known to you versus going to a strange place and strange people who view you as just another case."

"Because of our own personal journey, Jeanie and I felt strongly we should do everything within our capabilities to make the road to surviving cancer one which is short and conveniently located in Pickaway County," Thornhill added. "As a result, we freely gave to the new Berger Health Foundation Oncology Fund. I believe Berger has one of the finest oncologists in Ohio as well as superb surgical specialists who can collectively meet the needs of most cancer patients. All it requires is a small investment in compassion, skills, and facilities."

Since arriving in Circleville in June 2004, Dr. Sushil Jain's medical oncology and hematology practice has grown rapidly. The new Oncology Center will provide him and his staff the space needed to accomodate their patients' needs. This construction and renovation project is expected to start in the spring of 2005, and be completed by summer.

Thornhill noted that the ultimate goal for Berger's oncology program is the creation of a radiation treatment center in Pickaway County. "The radiation treatment project will be more costly - $7 or $8 million - but it is definitely a part of Berger's master plan. It would complete the array of oncology services that our patients need locally."

For more information about the Oncology Center project, contact Joe Barylak, Executive Director - Berger Health Foundation, at 740-420-8295. The Berger Health Foundation promotes philanthropy to enhance equipment, technology, facilities, and healthcare services offered by Berger Hospital.

Larry and Jeanie Thornhill (left) recently presented a check to Bob McKelvey, Berger Health Foundation Board President, to launch a campaign to create an outpatient Oncology Center on Berger Hospital's main campus. They are pictured with Dr. Sushil Jain (far right), medical oncologist and hematologist.