$10 Million Donation Honors Maine Woman With Cancer Care Expansion

Northern Light Cancer Care in Bangor is expanding its cancer treatment options thanks to a major gift from a former patient’s family.

Northern Light Health announced plans Wednesday for the new Jim and Cathy Gero Center for Genomics and Advanced Therapies at the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute. Officials described the gift behind the project as transformative and one of the largest the organization has received.

WABI reported that the new center will focus on expanding access to clinical trials, advanced therapies, and precision medicine. Precision medicine uses information from a patient’s genes and the biology of their tumor to help doctors choose treatments that may be more targeted and effective.

Northern Light officials say that kind of care is becoming an increasingly important part of cancer treatment. By studying specific mutations within a tumor, doctors can better understand how the cancer may behave and which therapies or clinical trials may be the best fit for a patient.

Northern Light Health Eastern Maine Medical Center President Ava Collins called the project “the future of cancer care,” saying cancer treatment, diagnosis, and outcomes continue to evolve quickly, WABI said.

Officials say the expansion will help more patients receive advanced cancer care closer to home, without having to travel out of the area for certain treatments, therapies, or clinical trial opportunities.

The project is being made possible by a $10 million gift from Jim Gero in memory of his late wife, Cathy, who received cancer treatment at Northern Light before she died in 2022.

Leaders with the Northern Light Health Foundation say gifts like this can help turn grief into something meaningful for future patients and families. They say the goal of the new center is to give patients access to some of the most advanced treatment options available while also offering hope during an extremely difficult time.

Northern Light says the Jim and Cathy Gero Center for Genomics and Advanced Therapies is expected to open within the next three to six months.