SECU Members Help Bring New Cancer Center to New Bern with $3.5 Million Grant

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 26, 2017 -- Officials from CarolinaEast Foundation, CarolinaEast Health System, State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) and the community broke ground today at the construction site of a new facility in New Bern, the SECU Comprehensive Cancer Center at CarolinaEast Medical Center.  The member-funded SECU Foundation announced its support for the initiative during the event, providing CarolinaEast Foundation with a three-year $3.5 million grant to aid the non-profit’s community campaign efforts for the Cancer Center’s construction.  SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Dagenhart presented the check to CarolinaEast Foundation for the medical facility that will provide greater access to comprehensive cancer care for residents in coastal North Carolina.

L to R: Dr. William L. Roper, CEO of UNC Healthcare System and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine; Mr. Norman Kellum, Jr., Board Chairman of CarolinaEast Health System; and Jama Dagenhart, Executive Director of SECU Foundation.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/859aa41d-1409-41b6-ad79-bdc776e7af6a

“This is perhaps the most monumental day in the history of CarolinaEast,” said Ray Leggett, President and CEO of CarolinaEast Health System.  “We have been very fortunate to have stellar physicians, facilities and technology to battle cancer locally – but now, with State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Foundation’s gift of $3.5 million and the many others who have so generously supported this important initiative – all of those – and more, will be coming together under one roof, right here.”

CarolinaEast Health System, formerly Craven County Hospital, has been serving patients and their families in Craven and surrounding counties with compassionate, quality care for over 54 years.  With backing from the medical community and CarolinaEast’s unique partnership with UNC Health Care System in Chapel Hill, SECU Comprehensive Cancer Center will provide expanded patient care, prevention programs and additional services for area residents – all part of the Health System’s vision and mission to deliver exceptional care and reduce the high cancer incidence rates in the region.

“SECU Foundation is proud to work in tandem with CarolinaEast Foundation and CarolinaEast Health System in support of their mission to provide high-level comprehensive care and prevention programs to help North Carolinians in their fight against cancer,” remarked Mr. Johnson.  “Our statewide 2 million plus members, and specifically the nearly 78,000 members in this region, understand the significance and impact the SECU Comprehensive Cancer Center will have in coastal North Carolina.  The Center will help to bring comfort, healing and the assurance of receiving the best care to families in this region coping with this terrible disease.”

Leggett continued, “Our deepest appreciation goes to the SECU Foundation and to the many SECU members for their confidence in this milestone in cancer care in the East.”

About SECU and the SECU Foundation
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for over 79 years.  The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trust and estate planning services, and investments through its partners and affiliated entities.  SECU serves 2.2 million members through 257 branch offices, nearly 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone and a website, www.ncsecu.org.  The SECU Foundation, a 501c (3) charitable organization funded solely by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services.

About CarolinaEast Health System
CarolinaEast Health System has been serving the growing needs of the coastal North Carolina community since 1963.  In addition to the system’s flagship, 350 bed CarolinaEast Medical Center, CarolinaEast includes a rehabilitation hospital, free standing diagnostic and surgery center and numerous CarolinaEast Physician practices providing primary and specialty care for all phases of life from offices in four counties. Currently, CarolinaEast Medical Center is the only CMS five star hospital in the state of North Carolina.

Contact: Jama Dagenhart, Executive Director
Office:  919-839-5562 | [email protected]