For the coworkers of a local university professor, a family loss turned into an opportunity to give hope to others facing cancer treatment at Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk. Robert Dahlgren, Ph.D., assistant professor of social studies education at the State University of New York at Fredonia, and his brother Steve Dahlgren of Washing-ton, D.C., lost their mother Emily Hobart Dahlgren this summer in London after a 10-year battle with breast cancer.
"When Bob Dahlgren's co-workers and friends found out about his loss, their admiration for him compelled them to reach out by honoring his mother," explains Scott Butler, Vice President of Community Relations/Marketing, Lake Erie Regional Health System of New York.
The family recently presented a gift to the hospital totaling around $500 collected from Mr. Dahlgren's friends along with a matching amount from himself and his brother that officials say will go toward education and cancer treatment services at the facility.
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Dianna Holtz, RT (T), Radiation Therapy Co-ordinator, shows the Cancer Treatment Center at Brooks Memorial Hospital to (from left) Steve Dahlgren and his brother Robert Dahlgren, Ph.D. The Dahlgren family recently made a contribution to the Center in memory of their mother, Emily Hobart Dahlgren.
"It was very spontaneous," Mr. Dahlgren said of his co-workers' effort. "We're very honored that my friends thought so highly of us to do this. We're very appreciative." The Dahl-gren brothers were recently provided with a tour of the Brooks Cancer Treatment Center by Dianna Holtz, RT(T), Radiation Therapy Coordinator. "My friends and I hope that this will help Brooks (Memorial Hospital) to continue its fine work in oncology treatment," Mr. Dahlgren noted. Jonathan I. Lawrence, President and CEO of Lake Erie Regional Health System, also expressed appreciation for the recent contribution. "We greatly appreciate the generous gift from the Dahlgren family and their friends," he said. "Their broad support in memory of Emily Dahlgren honors our organization and dedicated staff."
The late Mrs. Dahlgren, born in Roanoke, VA, was a lifelong educator and a member of the Department of Defense Dependent Schools organization that administers American public schools for military dependents living abroad. In Paris she met her husband Wayne Lawrence Dahlgren and the couple later retired in London. Mrs. Dahlgren was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2003. Although Mrs. Dahlgren never received treatments at Brooks Memorial Hospital, she did receive three rounds of chemotherapy and radiation over the years in other facilities. She died on July 29 at a hospice facility in London. Her husband now resides in the Washington, D.C area.
Brooks Memorial Hos-pital, an affiliate of LERHSNY, is a full service facility offering a range of departments. In addition to oncology these include a 24-hour Emergency Depart-ment, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgical Ser-vices, Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging, Dial-ysis, Sleep Center, a full range of therapy services and inpatient care.
