The University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ann Arbor has been gifted $150 million to boost research.
University regents are expected Thursday to approve renaming the facility the Rogel Cancer Center, after Richard and Susan Rogel.
The Rogels have committed a total of $150 million to the center during the university's Victors for Michigan campaign, including $40 million that was previously announced, according to the Michigan Record.
The Rogels have given and pledged $188.5 million to the university, making them the second-largest individual donors.
Both Richard and Susan have lost their parents to aggressive forms of cancer, and hope new research at U of M will result in better treatments. "It made us want to do more to help with the fight against cancer," says Richard Rogel. "It's as simple as that."
The research gift is expected to help attract and support researchers from around the world and provide grants to teams developing new approaches and technologies to advance early cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment.
Endowed professorships, scholarships, and an international fellowship program are also included in the gift.
Richard Rogel is president of investment firm Tomay, Inc. He graduated as the valedictorian in 1970 from the university's business school. His wife, Susan, is on the steering committee of the Victors for Michigan National Campaign Leadership Board, as well as several campaign councils for U-M affiliates.
