From left: Dr. Raymond Hohl, director of the Penn State Cancer Institute; Kristen Olewine Milke; Dr. Kevin Rakszawski, medical director of the Penn State Cancer Institute; and Michael Hayes, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral health, prepare to cut the ribbon for the Kristen Olewine Milke CARE Center at the Penn State Cancer Institute.
Leaders from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Cancer Institute dedicated the Kristen Olewine Milke CARE Center, a critical resource for holistic cancer care, during a special ceremony on Aug. 7. The naming of the CARE (Cancer Assistance and Resource Education) Center, part of the cancer institute, honors donor and volunteer Kris Milke, whose $1 million gift made the project a reality in 2021 and established an endowment to ensure continued support for the center.
7 August 2024
“Kris Milke’s commitment to this community, to Penn State Health and to the Penn State Cancer Institute is deeply appreciated and truly inspiring. Kris believes deeply in treating the whole person, and her generous gift has enabled the Cancer Institute to create a special place where physical, emotional, social, spiritual and educational resources come together to support patients and families,” said Don McKenna, president of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
In a welcoming, private setting, the Kristen Olewine Milke CARE Center provides patients with the support and education they need for treatment and beyond. “We work closely with the entire team at Penn State Cancer Institute to not only treat the disease, but to care for the whole person. Cancer can turn people’s lives upside down, but we also see how incredibly strong and resilient people are in the face of such a challenge,” said Dr. Michael Hayes, founding program director of the CARE Center.
Milke is the daughter of the late Benjamin Olewine, a well-known philanthropist in central Pennsylvania. Over many decades, Ben transformed the Harrisburg grocery store founded by his father into a food distribution company that was eventually purchased by Sysco Corporation. Milke served as senior vice president of Sysco Food Services of Central Pennsylvania until 2005, when she retired to devote herself full-time to her philanthropic work.
Milke joined the Penn State community as a volunteer in 2015. “It was a privilege to work with Kris on the Cancer Institute Development Committee,” said Dr. Raymond Hohl, director of the Penn State Cancer Institute and professor of medicine and pharmacology. “Her deep commitment to advancing cancer care and research was evident throughout her years of service, and her leadership and generosity contributed to our success. The CARE Center would not have been a reality without Kris.” Milke also served on the campaign cabinet for Penn State Health and the College of Medicine during the university’s recent campaign, A Greater Penn State for 21st Excellence of the century.
“I am honored to advance the important mission of Penn State Cancer Institute. As a two-time cancer survivor, I personally understand the importance of careful, coordinated care and the importance of caring for the individual patient as a whole,” said Milke. “It is my desire that the Kristen Olewine Milke CARE Center will be a place of hope and healing for many patients and their loved ones.”
Milke has also provided generous philanthropic support to Penn State College of Medicine through the Dr. Lindsey T. Surace Medical Student Scholarship, named for one of her physicians and College of Medicine graduates, and through a commitment to future support of the Department of Otolaryngology.
Donors like Kristen Olewine Milke support the university’s historic mission to serve and lead. Through their philanthropy, alumni and friends help students join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; they advance research, outreach and economic development that build our collective strength and future readiness; and they increase the university’s impact on families, patients and communities across the Commonwealth and around the world. For more information, visit raise.psu.edu.
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