Members of the McLeod Volunteer Auxiliary present a check for $50,000 to Robin Aiken, Chair of the HOPE Fund Advisory Committee, and Asa Godbold and his daughter Emily Reinicker on June 26.

The McLeod Volunteer Auxiliary presented a check for $50,000 to Robin Aiken, Chair of the HOPE Fund Advisory Committee, on June 26. The donation, in memory of Marilyn Godbold, is designated to the HOPE Fund Endowment. Godbold served as the Director of Volunteer Services at McLeod for 28 years. She was also one of the first members of the HOPE Fund Advisory Committee.

In April of 2017, the volunteers donated $50,000 to jump start the endowment. The goal of the HOPE Fund Advisory Committee was to establish a $1 million dollar endowment so that annual proceeds would ensure vital direct support is available to cancer patients at McLeod in perpetuity.

When the volunteers learned that the McLeod Foundation was getting close to reaching the $1 million dollar goal, they challenged the team to reach $950,000 and they would donate the final $50,000 to ensure the endowment was fully funded.

Aiken recently announced to the McLeod Health Board of Trustees, the McLeod Cancer Conference Board, and the McLeod Health Foundation Board of Trustees that the goal for the HOPE Fund Endowment had been achieved thanks to this donation.

In the Fall of 2014, the HOPE (Helping Oncology Patients Everyday) Fund was established at the McLeod Center for Cancer Treatment and Research for cancer patient support services such as medication, transportation and nutrition assistance as well as to provide the oncology staff with improved access for the immediate needs of their patients.