rite of passage for all cancer patients who reach
a milestone in their treatment is the ringing of
the Hurst bell, in memory of Dr. David Hurst, a
physician at Scott & White. The bell is a symbol of hope
for the future as patients complete a cycle of treatment,
receive their first set of clear scans, or even celebrate a
birthday or anniversary.
When Waco, Texas, resident Paul “Crunch” McClinton,
age 76, rang the bell last December to celebrate the end of
his treatment, he was surrounded by his wife, Carol, and his
caregivers. What happened next was very symbolic as well.
“He gave a little speech about how much he appreciated
the staff and how much he looked forward to caring for our
community,” says cancer center Director Joni Watson. “He
said his family had been blessed and now he wanted to be
a blessing to others. Then he presented us with a check.” It
was a gift that symbolized hope for the future from a very
grateful man.
The generous seven-figure gift will further the care of
thousands of patients at the newly named Baylor Scott &
White McClinton Cancer Center, located on the main
campus of Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center,
in Waco. “We made a small donation to the cancer center
when it first opened,” Mr. McClinton says. “But then I kept
seeing the sincerity of the nurses, the treatment they were
giving, the results, and what seemed like satisfaction from
all of the patients. So we thought we’d love to donate more.
We wanted to give back to the people who did so much for
me during my struggles.”
The McClintons are pleased to lend their name to a
center that provided Mr. McClinton with compassionate,
high-quality cancer treatment. “Having our name up there
will be very meaningful for my family and for generations
to come, and we’re so happy the community can benefit
from our donation,” he says. Mr. McClinton hopes that
A
current and future patients will feel comforted knowing
the McClintons were inspired to make a gift because of the
excellent care Mr. McClinton received at the facility.
“Crunch truly has a relationship with the staff, and
he has a lot of confidence in our healthcare system,” says
Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center president
Glenn Robinson. “We are extremely ܘ]Y