Finding Hope Through the Gift of Compassion
With the support of The Christ Hospital Health Network’s Patient Assistance Program, Tony Dogan overcame critical illness and found a community that truly cares.
When Tony Dogan first came to The Christ Hospital Health Network more than eight years ago, he was in critical condition. “I was basically dead on arrival,” as he describes it. Doctors discovered not only congestive heart failure but also a rare blood cancer. After weeks in the hospital, his body slowly stabilized, and today, Tony receives infusion treatments every other week. “Now I feel like a normal person,” he says. “I wouldn’t be alive without The Christ Hospital.”
But surviving his illnesses has brought new challenges. Living on a fixed income with no local family or support system, Tony found it increasingly difficult to afford necessities and travel to his appointments. That’s when the hospital’s patient assistance program stepped in.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, Tony received Kroger gift cards to help with groceries, Lyft rides to and from his treatments, and the steady support of the hospital’s social work team.
"Nobody can say that The Christ Hospital doesn’t care about their patients. I have never been given so much love in my life. At home, I have no one, but here I know they love me and will do everything they can to care for me. "
Tony Dogan
This compassion is possible because of donors like you. The astonishing $2.3 million raised at our 2024 Gala is being put to work, ensuring that more patients like Tony can focus on healing, free from unnecessary barriers. Your generosity is expanding the Cancer Center with new exam and consult rooms, bringing advanced vein finder technology to reduce patient anxiety during chemotherapy, and accelerating access to clinical research through new Dana-Farber Bringham trials. Just as importantly, Gala support is strengthening patient assistance and education programs, extending the same vital help Tony received to countless others who are facing cancer along with all of its uncertainties.
Because of you, every patient walking through our doors is met not only with world-class care, but with dignity, compassion, and the knowledge that this community refuses to let them walk alone.
“As we celebrate the success of our most recent Gala, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every donor who made these advances possible,” said Debbie Hayes, President & CEO of The Christ Hospital Health Network. “Your generosity is transforming lives and ensuring that patients like Tony receive the finest care, compassion, and support that give them strength and hope.”