This gift symbolizes a major investment in world-class care for patients with colorectal cancer in Tampa Bay and beyond.

TAMPA, Fla., July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Foundation has received a generous and substantial gift from philanthropists John and Susan Sykes to establish a new Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer at the TGH Cancer Institute.

"Patients come to Tampa General for world-class care and next-generation treatments and therapies. Thanks to the generosity of John and Susan Sykes, we can further enhance our ability to deliver the highest level of academic-based medicine and cancer care," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "John and Susan Sykes share our belief that through innovation and investment, we can improve patient outcomes and propel clinical-driven treatments and life-saving care — care that can only be delivered by the region's singular academic-based health system and by leading-edge physicians like Dr. Jorge Marcet."

The Center, to be known as the Susan and John Sykes Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer at the TGH Cancer Institute, will support the patient care, education and research mission of TGH and the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Under the leadership of Marcet, professor in the Department of Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and Medical Director of Colorectal Surgery Services at the TGH Cancer Institute, the Sykes Center of Excellence will focus on providing the highest level of care in the prevention and treatment of colon and rectal cancers, and other complex colorectal diseases. Marcet and his illustrious team are at the forefront of enhancing translational research to move scientific discoveries more quickly and efficiently into practice.

"Over the past few years, we've made excellent strides in the treatment and care of colorectal cancers," said Dr. Eduardo M. Sotomayor, vice president and executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute. "This transformative endowment from John and Susan Sykes will enable us to build a framework to make the Sykes Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer a nationwide destination in clinical expertise for those suffering from this disease while providing a more sophisticated level of treatment and innovative care to patients. We are beyond grateful for their support and generosity."

The Sykes' have been inspired by Marcet's groundbreaking care for patients in the diagnosis, treatment and advancement of colorectal cancer care over the years. Marcet's support for an earlier screening age for colorectal cancer has dramatically improved patient outcomes.

"As enduring supporters of Tampa General Hospital, we've greatly admired the unique combination of clinical expertise and top-tier compassionate care given by Dr. Marcet and the colorectal team at the TGH Cancer Institute," said John and Susan Sykes. "We are excited to help establish a new Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer, with the goal of continuously advancing the treatment and care for patients today and tomorrow."

"Through their philanthropy and kindness, the Sykes' will play an active role in helping patients to have more opportunities for treatment and a better quality of life," Marcet said. "We are endlessly grateful for this highly meaningful gift. At a time when colon cancer rates are rising in people younger than 50 and in an environment of rapid advances in cancer care, an important role of the Susan and John Sykes Center of Excellence in Colorectal Cancer will be to serve as a resource for the education and training of future physicians and nurses as experts in the field, and will help foster innovation in the development of new and improved treatment approaches for colorectal diseases in our community." 

"We are so honored that the Sykes' have chosen to support Tampa General and the Cancer Institute with this generous gift," said Frann Leppla, senior vice president of development and chief philanthropy officer of the TGH Foundation. "It will significantly boost our efforts to drive innovation and provide world-class, research-driven care to patients across the Tampa Bay region and the state."

In 2022, the TGH Cancer Institute earned a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a quality program established by the American College of Surgeons. In 2023, Newsweek listed the TGH Cancer Institute in the top 3% of cancer hospitals in the United States and Becker's Hospital Review named the academic health system to its list of 100 Top Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs.

Tampa General's cancer physicians offer the highest level of multidisciplinary care in the treatment of lung, colorectal, breast, prostate, gynecologic, head and neck, neurologic and hematologic malignancies, including specialized care in organ transplantation, bone marrow transplant and cell therapies within the framework of a nationally recognized academic health care center.

For more information about the TGH Cancer Institute, visit https://www.tgh.org/institutes-and-services/cancer-institute.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2023-24 Best Hospitals, with six specialties ranking among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in the 2024 America's Best Large Employers, the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women, and the top 25 in Florida in the 2023 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2022, provided a net community benefit of approximately $240.3 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes TGH North which is comprised of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Outpatient Center, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

ABOUT USF HEALTH
USF Health's mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF Health's multispecialty physicians' group. The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.

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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital