Holden Cancer Research Center at the University of Iowa

During a break from my Health Economics class last night, I read the plaque for the dedication of the Holden Cancer Research Center.  It's an amazing building and an amazing gift and I wanted to share it.  If you have ever been to Williamsburg, Iowa, just passing through the town you wouldn't expect there to be a family with $25 million dollars, let along such a generous and giving family at that.



Here's some text from the website:

A landmark $25 million gift from four generations of the Holden family of Williamsburg, Iowa, will provide unprecedented support for cancer research, education and treatment at the University of Iowa. In recognition of this gift, UI officials will request approval from the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, at their September meeting for the naming of the Holden Cancer Center at the UI.

The family's gift, through the UI Foundation, also supports the Roland and Ruby Holden Cancer Research Laboratories in the UI's new Medical Education and Biomedical Research Facility, now under construction on the UI health sciences campus.

The Holden family gift honors the late Roland W. Holden, who died in 1995. Holden founded Holden Foundation Seeds Inc., a corn seed research and genetics company based in Williamsburg, Iowa, 30 miles west of Iowa City, in 1937. His family chose to celebrate his legacy by supporting research and treatment that may eventually cure the disease that took his life.

To the Holden family, I'm sorry for your loss, and thank you for your contribution to science.

Holden Cancer Research Center


Erin