The 11th Annual ‘Day of Hope’ Raises More Than $409,000 for Mission Hope Cancer Center
Day of Hope event organizers host Day of Hope Thank You Celebration where event revenue total was announced and top fundraising teams were awarded.
Photo (top): Mark and Eileen Hongo, the leaders of Team EJH pose for photos after being named the top fundraising team for the 2024 Day of Hope, raising over $36,000.
SANTA MARIA, CA - September 19, 2024 – The Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation and the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation announced that the 11th annual Day of Hope event raised a total of $409,013 in support of local cancer patients at Mission Hope Cancer Center. The event’s grand total was announced at the Day of Hope Celebration event on the morning of September 19.
“All of us have friends, family, or perhaps even ourselves who have experienced the need for support while on a cancer journey,” shares Kathleen Sullivan, Vice President of Oncology and Post Acute Care Services. Seeing so many people out on the street corners on Day of Hope with so much enthusiasm selling newspapers is always so inspiring to me. This event brings the whole community together so that Mission Hope Cancer Center can continue its vital mission to support our community.”
Since Day of Hope’s inception in 2014, the event’s fundraising efforts cumulative total raise over 11 years is $2,696,630. This year’s event revenue total exceeds last year’s event outcome of $373,630.
The Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation raised $367,696.70 and the Arroyo Grande Foundation raised $41,316.30 in support of the Day of Hope event. Proceeds raised by the Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation support the Mission Hope Cancer Center Santa Maria location and proceeds raised by the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation support the Mission Hope Cancer Center Arroyo Grande location.
In addition to celebrating the event’s revenue outcome, the below community members and teams were recognized for their exceptional fundraising efforts. There are two categories for Day of Hope fundraising teams:
- Business Teams embrace their company name and the business’ team effort to fundraise
- Friends and Family Teams are led by an individual or a family
Day of Hope 2024 Top Business Teams
First place business team: Rugged Radios
Team revenue total: $35,917
Team leader: Greg Cottrell
Second place business team: CoastHills Credit Union- Banking on a Cure
Team revenue total: $14,116
Team leaders: Oscar Cruz, Alex Vasquez, Michelle Petersen, Kristina Harshbarger, Adriana Marcial, and Denise Leathers
Third place business team: Field to Table Events
Team revenue total: $13,740
Team leader: Tracy Labastida
Day of Hope 2024 Top Friends & Family Teams
First place friends and family team: Team EJH
Team Revenue total: $36,048
Team leader: Eileen Hongo
Second place friends and family team: Passion for Color
Team revenue total: $27,578
Team leader: Angelica Gutierrez, Lorena Chavez, and Monica Barragan
Third place friends and family team: For the Pink Ribbon
Team revenue total: $20,635
Team leader: Meredith Rodriguez
The 11th annual Day of Hope event took place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, and in addition to newspaper sales, the event included a community car parade.
Although this year’s Day of Hope event has concluded, community members can still make donations in support of local cancer patients and families at Mission Hope Cancer Center in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande. For more information about the ways you can give, please contact the Marian Foundation at (805) 739-3595 or the Arroyo Grande Foundation at (805) 994-5421.
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About Marian Cancer Care at Mission Hope Cancer Center
Marian Cancer Care at Mission Hope Cancer Center is accredited as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. This award recognition is the highest designation awarded to community cancer centers for exceptional performance. As the first integrated oncology facility on the Central Coast, Mission Hope Cancer Center features advanced technology and expert health care professionals from the nation’s top medical training programs. This state-of-the-art facility unites Santa Maria oncology treatment, imaging, research, education and outreach services at one location.
About Mission Hope Cancer Center Arroyo Grande
Mission Hope Cancer Center, Arroyo Grande provides advanced cancer care and infusion services for our community. To meet our community’s growing needs and desire to receive treatments and services close to home in the five cities area, we expanded our cancer care services into the Matthew Will Memorial Medical Center adjacent to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital. Cancer care services close to home offer comfort, convenience and the ability to engage the family in the treatment process in a warm and friendly environment.
About Marian Regional Medical Center
Marian Regional Medical Center is a state-of-the-art, 191-bed medical center located in Santa Maria, California. The modern facility is home to a broad array of services including a level II trauma center, a level III neonatal intensive care unit, a nationally recognized cardiac care center, and boasts the Central Coast’s only Comprehensive Community Cancer Program as recognized by the Commission on Cancer. Marian has been recognized for quality and patient safety and named one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades® for three consecutive years. It has also been recognized as a 2023 Coronary Intervention Excellent Award recipient by Healthgrades®.
Marian Regional Medical Center together with Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, comprise Dignity Health Central Coast, a network of hospitals, physicians, and outpatient services including physician offices, ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers, and a full service home health agency. Learn more at dignityhealth.org/marianregional.
About Arroyo Grande Community Hospital
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital opened to the public on April 15, 1962, and is a 67-bed hospital offering health care services to Central Coast residents. The hospital operates the busiest Emergency Department in South San Luis Obispo County nationally recognized for superior patient satisfaction. Arroyo Grande Community Hospital also houses the only comprehensive, hospital-based, Acute Rehabilitation Center in San Luis Obispo County offering a wide range of individualized therapies. It is rated a top Joint Replacement Center by Blue Shield and among the Top 10% in the Nation for Joint Replacement, offering the latest in robotic and other technologically advanced orthopedic procedures. The facility has achieved prestigious designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission for advanced, comprehensive care for stroke patients.
Day of Hope ambassador Eileen Hongo, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Montisa Lopez, Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Jessa Brooks and Mission Hope radiation oncologist Dr. Ben Wilkinson pose for photos after the record-breaking fundraising amount was announced at the Day of Hope Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Team For the Pink Ribbon poses for a photo after being named the third-place team for Day of Hope fundraising, having raised over $20,000.
Publish date:
Thursday, September 19, 2024