Mission Hope Cancer Center Receives Generous Donations

Christmas came early on Thursday for Mission Hope Cancer Center in Santa Maria. The comprehensive cancer care and treatment center received a pair of generous gifts from board members with Cruzin’ For Life.

“They were kind enough to bring us a Prius today and this is what we’re going to use now to bring patients to and from the clinic,” said Dr. Robert Dichmann, Medical Oncologist and Medical Director for Mission Hope.

Mission Hope currently uses a large passenger van with a wheelchair lift to shuttle patients from their residence to the cancer center. In less than two years, the van, which has low gas mileage, has logged more than 80,000 miles.

Dr. Dichmann says the new car will reduce usage of the van, thus saving gas and the lifespan of the vehicle. The Prius, which cost just over $30,000, will also offer a more comfortable ride for patients.

“It’s nice having a very smooth ride and everything,” said Chris Magana, Mission Hope shuttle driver. “I have a lot of patients that are very nauseated and it seems to really make a difference when you travel in comfort when you are already uncomfortable.”

In addition to the Prius, Cruzin’ For Life board members also donated $100,000 to Mission Hope.

“This is really helping patients,” said Dr. Dichmann. “Sometimes that’s getting food on the table, buying gifts for their kids for Christmas, paying rent, it’s those kinds of things that we’re actually doing with the money.”

The money was raised during the two-day run of Cruzin’ For Life last September. The popular event, which was created in 2004, raised an all-time record of more than $200,000.

“Central Coast people care about their neighbors so much,” said Cruzin’ For Life board member Bobby Labastida. “When one is not doing well, it doesn’t take much for them to dig into their wallet and to sacrifice what money they have to help a fellow Central Coast person.”

Labastida, and his brother Clifford who founded the fundraiser, also announced Cruzin’ For Life made large donations to the Make a Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

Plans for the 2015 Cruzin’ For Life are well underway. The annual crab feed dinner, which kicks off the yearly event, is scheduled for February 14, 2015.