[Music]
[Applaud]
Roger Cary: You know, this isn’t a hospital that’s just for the patients but it’s a hospital that was built by our patients. We spent six months working with our patients on everything from colors to tiles and fabrics to the flow and how things would work. This is the first hospital of its kind that was totally planned around the patients.
Mayor Bill LaFortune: On behalf of the citizens of Tulsa, I want to thank Richard, family – everybody, Jim, Bob, with this project, we appreciate it so much, Tulsans do, your investment in our view. But you need the stars here today. I got through the facility – absolutely fabulous, cutting edge technology. What I notice as I go through all the facility is everyone smiles at you as you go down.
[Applaud]
Mr. Richard Stephenson: Ready? Get, set, go – Yeaah! [Applaud]
LeAnne Taylor (news anchor): I have always admired Cancer Treatment Centers of America from a far… first as a medical reporter here in the community, and then more recently as a cancer patient. But most importantly I am a breast cancer survivor and it’s wonderful to be here.
[Cheers and applaud]
CTCA patient (woman): I learned the hospital can pamper me. I am the one that wants a spa and I am not the only one. I learned that one passionate voice with a vision, can truly make a difference. I was not only empowered in my treatment choices but my life has been empowered in so many ways.
CTCA patient (man): It has now been over two years since I began treatment at CTCA and I am very alive and I’ll go when God says it’s time to come home, not when some man tells me it’s time to leave. Never give up. Never, never, never.
[Music]
Mr. Richard Stephenson: I rise really only to provide a toast. I rise to toast, then salute the undauntable spirit of our thousands of patients and their loving caregivers – a spirit sustained by their equally undauntable and empowering faith that God has directed them to this place - this home, this house of open healing. May your spirit ever drive you and your faith ever guide you and may God forever embrace and hold you gently in his arms. We shall forever honor and respect both. Cheers! God bless.