WPCNR EAST END OBSERVER. February 13, 2005: New York Presbyterian Hospital is about to launch a $1 Billion fundraising drive.  

Whether or not this is to raise money to fund their cash-short proton accelerator-biomedical research facility approved by the city two-and-a-half years ago, with no ground broken yet, is not known at this time.

A contractor, reported by WPCNR to be in ongoing talks with New York Presbyterian Hospital to develop the White Plains proton accelerator, Hitachi North America, in Tarrytown, told WPCNR last month that the state-of-the-art cancer treatment therapy center has been put off at least six months by New York Presbyterian Hospital because funding is the big stumbling block.

 New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weil Cornell Medical Center, its  academic and professional partner are taking financial matters into their own hands.

They are launching a $1 Billion fundraising drive for NYPH and a  $750 Million campaign for the Weill Cornell Medical College. The plans became known by the appearance of an advertisement in The New York Times Sunday  for a “Super Fundraiser,” a Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations for “planning, implementation, and coordination of corporate and foundation gifts and grants and fund-raising programs”  for the support of both campus fund drives totaling $1.8 Billion.

WPCNR has often noted the lack of candor, information, and ongoing news about the proton accelerator project on New York Presbyterian Hospital. Opponents of the proton accelerator project have long argued that the hospital does not have the money to build the project, and though promised $100 Million of support from the Governor’s office as a Center of Excellence, that money has apparently not been forthcoming from New York State, otherwise the proton accelerator could be well under way by now. 

Now with the announcement of the $1.8 Billion fund drive,  it appears Weill Cornell Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital both need to turn to the private sector for future growth, whether the $1 Billion New York Presbyterian Hospital hopes to raise will be in part for the White Plains project, is a subject of inquiry.