'World-class' Dean and Barbara White Cancer Center breaks ground after record $30 million donation (2025)

CROWN POINT — A new cancer center in Crown Point is being touted as world-class and is intended to be regional destination for the advanced cancer care Region residents often have travelled to Chicago or Indianapolis for.

Franciscan Health broke ground Monday on a new cancer center that was funded by a record $30 million donation from The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation. The new three-story cancer center is located on the grounds of the recently openedFranciscan Health Crown Point Hospital at the busy interchange of Interstate 65 and U.S. 231.

"There's nothing that's more right in the park of what my parents would want in Crown Point than great health care and to have a cancer center like this, a world-class facility here in Crown Point to take care of the health of everybody in Lake County. It's exactly, exactly what they would want, without a doubt," said Craig White, the board president of the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, son of Dean and Barbara White and brother of White Lodging founder Bruce White. "Franciscan took great care of both my parents in their older years. They had contributed to the hospital originally decades and decades ago. They had supported the hospital. They were big believers in the hospital. There couldn't be anything more in the hitter zone for them than to be involved with this cancer center."

At a groundbreaking ceremony attended by White, Franciscan officials and local dignitaries, Diocese of Gary Bishop Robert McClory blessed the site where 71,000-square-feet cancer center will be built. It will consolidate Franciscan Health Crown Point's cancer care services into a single location next to the hospital.

Crown Point resident Georgene Paulauski, a cancer survivor, said she was ready to give up before she was successfully treated at Franciscan Health Crown Point.

"They say cancer changes you forever. It does," she said. "It gives you a new perspective."

Mishawaka-based Franciscan is looking to enhance its cancer offerings, such as by giving patients access to cutting-edge treatments through clinical trials.

“Franciscan is grateful to The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation for their partnership with our healthcare ministry to improve the health status of the residents of Lake County and Northwest Indiana through their visionary work with the YMCA and now cancer care,” Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Daniel McCormick said. “With this cancer center, our goal is to provide convenient cancer screenings, early diagnosis and treatment, including important clinical trials, advanced surgical expertise and radiation therapies in a beautiful and convenient location. Providing kind, considerate and well-connected care throughout a family’s journey through oncology treatment and recovery lives our mission out loud and we are very pleased to have such an aligned partner in the White family.”

The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, which carries on the legacy of the late billionaire who built a billboard and hotel empire around the country, gave the Franciscan Health Foundation its largest-ever donation.

"Health and wellness is one of the main focuses for our foundation,” said Bill Hanna, executive director of The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation. “The cancer center will add another asset for Northwest Indiana citizens when they need it most. Our continued strategic partnerships with organizations like Franciscan and the Crossroads YMCA will not only expand access to high quality direct healthcare but will position the residents of Northwest Indiana to be empowered to live healthier lives.”

Tonn and Blank Construction will build the new cancer center next to the new hospital that opened earlier this year. It offer state-of-the-art diagnostic services and holistic cancer services meant to heal the whole person as well as the disease.

"The intent here was to be providing a top-tier asset to people most in need," Hanna said. "It pairs well with our other initiatives that are really more proactive with preventative health care. You get the direct healthcare piece here that the Region could use along with the YMCA system that promotes healthy lifestyles. Our objective over time is to see measurable improvement in quality of life through healthier living."

The foundation funded the Dean and Barbara White Community Center in Merrillville as well as YMCAs in Crown Point, Hammond, Gary and Schererville. It's also helping fund the YMCA's increased lifestyle programming in the area.

"We want to just keep evolving this into that seamless atmosphere where you feel like you're in a healthy environment and want to be active and in the event that you do have something to deal with, you have access to top-quality healthcare too," Hanna said. "This spot in particular being on the southern end is more accessible for people south of here. It pulls the Region together. It's a good location and will continue to grow."

The cancer center strengthens Crown Point as a regional healthcare destination, Mayor Pete Land said.

"Franciscan has been a longstanding partner with the city of Crown Point. This complex here and this facility just brings not only our residents but all the residents of Northwest Indiana the most state-of-the-art healthcare for the patient and for the families seeing their loved ones to go through this," he said. "We have really become the beacon of healthcare in Northwest Indiana. It's a great location, the campus here with I-65 and State Road 231. It's not just for our residents but Northwest Indiana and Northern Indiana. For so many years, people would go to Chicago or Indianapolis for this type of healthcare. Now with this center and complex here they can stay local, which is easier for the patients and easier for the families."

The facility will improve Crown Point's quality of life, Land said.

"One of the things I always say is that when people look to move to a community it's for a lot of reasons but one of the top three is always what kind of healthcare, what kind of accessible healthcare do I have for myself and my family," he said. "This just adds to Crown Point being the beacon of healthcare in Northwest Indiana and it's a blessing to have."