PALM COAST, Fla. (February 27, 2024) – In addition to being one of the most glamourous nights of the year in Flagler County, the annual Moonlit Gala hosted by the AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation is a kickstarter for projects championed by the two AdventHealth Palm Coast campuses here in Flagler County.
In 2023, AdventHealth Palm Coast unveiled the ambitious and long-awaited stand-alone cancer center that will be part of the Freytag Medical Plaza. Donors responded by showing their support for the facility and cancer care expansion.
Sunday evening donors continued their generosity and support for the project, with the AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation raising $122,000 toward the cancer center.
Progress In the Making
Denyse Bales-Chubb, AdventHealth Palm Coast President/CEO and Market CEO for Flagler and St. Johns counties shared an update on the new facility’s progress.
“Last year when we were here, we were just announcing the groundbreaking of our Freytag Medical Plaza,” said Bales-Chubb. “Now, if any of you have driven past the hospital on 100, you have seen that building literally pop up out of the ground. We plan to complete the construction on that building in October of this year with an opening to see patients by January 2025. It is just remarkable.”
Oncologist Dr. Padjama Sai, a leading face for the cancer care center, while unable to attend, was represented adeptly by staff who brought her enthusiasm for the opportunity to impact the lives of Flagler County’s residents battling cancer to the event.
“Everything that she does every day for our patients is a miracle,” said office manager Kendra Jimenez. “Here we are providing local care for our patients who don’t have to drive to Moffat and Mayo. This cancer center will also be able to give us more resources and the ability to provide more care, for more patients.”
The gala is the culmination of several fundraising events at the Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa with AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation Chairman Tony Papandrea serving among the weekend’s emcees.
“This moment in time is so special because we’re celebrating the coming of the cancer center. The cancer center is a project that has been in the making for many, many years. This cancer center with world class surgeons, and doctors like Dr. Sai are going to bring world class health care and cancer care to people here in Flagler County,” said Papandrea, who shared remarks prepared by his granddaughter, a NICU nurse, for the evening.
“She is so awesome. I held her first when she was born and she’s a NICU nurse in Atlanta and I’m so, so proud of her, her mom and our family,” he said. “They support what I do, and we support the community.”
A Shared Mission of Community
Browsing the silent auction items, AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation Board Member Laura Gilvary sees the investment as more than just a win at the auction table with the Foundation’s $4 million goal to support the cancer care center.
“I have served on the AdventHealth Foundation board for many years now and this is a momentous occasion,” said Gilvary. “While we’ve had many initiatives that impacted the community this one by far is the most substantial.”
“I lost my dad and my stepdad to cancer and this is a very meaningful mission to me in my heart. If they had had better diagnostics, better care, not having to leave the area, it certainly would have kept them closer to home where we could support them in different ways,” she said.
“The generosity of the Freytag family, AdventHealth’s initiative and our community pulling together to achieve this $4 million milestone is absolutely critical in order to serve our cancer patients that we all love and care for so much.”
“It’s one day at a time, one supporter at a time, and our community’s very supportive,” said John Subers, Director of the AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation. “In our hospital we try to do the right thing every day and it just works. We love our community and we all work in a wonderful community.”
For more information visit www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-palm-coast.
