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Your contribution will touch the lives of many grateful cancer patients

This Thanksgiving, Eric Muhler and those who love him will have something special for which to be grateful.

In February of 2010, the 59-year-old jazz pianist and father of two was diagnosed with throat cancer. Today, after receiving state-of-the-art, compassionate, comprehensive care at California Pacific Medical Center, he is on the mend.

"Treating throat cancer requires special skill," Eric explains. "Fighting the cancer is only one of the major challenges that must be dealt with. Making sure that the patient receives nutritional, psychological and other kinds of support is also crucial."

Eric underwent surgery followed by seven weeks of daily radiation treatments and chemotherapy. "I lost 32 pounds," he reports. "I suffered a considerable amount of pain and other symptoms in the aftermath of my treatment as I struggled to recover."

Eric received considerable help from CPMC's Institute for Health & Healing, which provides nutritional counseling, therapies such as massage and guided imagery, and other supportive care to supplement our world-class medical treatment.

"All of my doctors impressed me as being in touch with the very latest in technology and therapies," Eric says. "They were also extraordinarily empathetic human beings with great personal communication skills. They cured me of cancer while protecting my mind and body, for which I will always be grateful."

As the traditional holiday season of giving approaches, I'm writing to ask you to make a tax-deductible gift of $25, $50, $75, $100, or more to California Pacific Medical Center's Foundation.

The philanthropic arm of the Medical Center, the Foundation puts donors' charitable donations to work meeting the most serious and urgent health needs of our community. Cancer is among our highest priorities.

Your generosity will help bring healing to the lives of thousands of San Franciscans like Eric who will turn to us for cancer care in the coming year.

Despite the financial challenges CPMC faces as a not-for-profit organization, it is essential that we continue to keep pace with the latest advances in cancer care.

Among the CPMC Foundation's current major funding priorities are enhancements to our radiation oncology CT simulator and linear accelerator, two pieces of equipment that play a crucial role in the successful treatment of cancer patients like Eric. This state-of-the-art technology will shorten treatment sessions, increase patient comfort, and deliver the most effective radiation therapy currently available.

We also need ongoing support for the Institute for Health & Healing. One of the largest integrative medical centers in the U.S., this program ensures that the well-being of cancer patients is addressed in every way possible, going beyond medicine to care for the whole person—physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.

I hope you will also help us further enhance the quality and range of resources we offer our cancer patients at California Pacific by making a generous contribution. We'll be deeply grateful for any amount you're able to give.

From the CPMC family to yours, I send you warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season and the best of health in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Mark Kimbell, President
CPMC Foundation

P.S. Great news! We've received notification that the Hedco Foundation will match contributions to help us complete funding of our Linear Accelerator Enhancement, up to a total of $150,000. So if you donate online and write in this funding priority, your gift will count double!

Because life is precious, we encourage giving to life and a lifetime of giving.