FRIENDS Magazine Fall 2010 - Banner Health

For those with
cancer, time
is a precious
commodity.
David Walsh was the younger of Frank and Gloria’s two
sons. Happily married, he and his wife, Kathie, also had two
children. David was an upbeat, athletic and energetic man
who loved the outdoors and the community he called home.
In 1996, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer at the
age of 41. Sadly, he lost his courageous battle against the
disease in 1998.
Throughout David’s two-year fight against cancer, he
found himself traveling back and forth for treatments in
Denver and Fort Collins, each more than 100 miles from
his home in Sterling. The time he spent traveling for
treatment invariably took a toll on David. Equally, it took a
toll on those who loved him.
At a groundbreaking ceremony for the cancer center in
2009, David’s oldest son, Carlin Walsh, recalled his father’s
experience noting that for those with cancer, time is a
precious commodity.
After witnessing firsthand the strain that results from
traveling far from home for treatment, Frank and Gloria
chose to build the David Walsh Cancer Center. Ultimately,
their generosity will ensure that others facing cancer have
more of what they truly need—time.
Frank and Gloria Walsh’s philanthropic
spirit is guided by a commitment, dedication
and desire to make Sterling a better place.
The David Walsh Cancer Center at Sterling
Regional MedCenter is by far their largest
contribution; however, they have found other
very meaningful ways to enhance the
community they call home.
Some of the other projects in Sterling
that Frank and Gloria have contributed
to include:
• Helping to fund a new dormitory for
students at Northeastern Junior College;
• Financially supporting a project to
remodel the Sterling Public Library;
• Building a park and swimming pool for
a community that lacked such outdoor
recreation; and
• Purchasing the Sterling Country Club –
including its 18-hole golf course and
full-service restaurant – and donating
it to Northeastern Junior College to
expand the scope of educational
programs for students to include
courses related to golf course
management, the culinary arts
and more.