Couple Honors Late Cardinal with $1 Milllion Gift to Cancer Center

Devoted Catholics Michael and Katherine (Kay) Birck are gratified that their $1 million gift to Loyola University Health System’s (Loyola) Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center will be a fitting tribute to the late cardinal while providing funding for a variety of programs offered by the center.

“We always respected Cardinal Bernardin, so we are honored to give money to an institution that carries his name,” said Mrs. Birck. “There are a lot of different causes to fund in health care,” added Mr. Birck. “As Catholics, we are happy to give to Catholic organizations. I think that of all the institutions in the area that treat cancer, Loyola does so in a complete way, treating the mind, body and spirit: the whole person.”

As members of the cancer center’s Visiting Committee, the Bircks assist the center in exploring methods to raise funds. Mr. Birck’s work on the committee reinforces his belief in the importance of health-care philanthropy. “I think those who can afford to give have an obligation to give back to the community,” he said. “Kay and I focus on three areas: education, the environment and health and wellness.”

The Birck’s $1 million gift is especially valuable because it is unrestricted, allowing it to be used wherever there is the greatest need. The Bircks are pleased their gift will be put to good use in several different projects and will touch so many people in the community. “We’ve been blessed many times over,” said Mrs. Birck, a retired nurse. “My husband and I both came from lower middle class families, and because we both received good educations we’ve done quite well. We feel we should share our good fortune with the community.”

Patrick J. Stiff, MD, Coleman Professor of Oncology, and cancer center director, plans to distribute the money throughout the cancer center to fund several projects.
Dr. Stiff explained that as funding for federal research grants has diminished, there is subsequently even more competition for foundation support.

Medical centers that have preliminary data to support innovative research concepts are much more likely to receive federal and foundation grants. The Birck’s gift will be distributed to the following areas.

• Survivorship Clinic
• Regional Clinical Trials Group
• Vaccine Trials
• Cancer Prevention and Screening
• New Faculty Translational Projects
• Clinical Trials Office Funding
• Cancer Center Clinical Research Database

Previously, the Bircks gave a $2 million gift to the Cancer Center to establish the Birck Family Endowment for Cancer Research.

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