Bequest Creates First General Oncology Endowment at St. Mary’s

When philanthropists Tony and Sally Prinster set their sights on strengthening the oncology department at St. Mary's Medical Center, they did something remarkable. In the summer of 2023, they established the Anthony F & Sally Prinster Oncology Endowed Fund with a bequest that included a $200,000 match from the St. Mary’s Foundation. This is the first general oncology endowment at St. Mary's and will be used to ensure continuous resources for cancer care.

Tony and Sally are lifelong residents of Western Colorado. Tony was born in Grand Junction in 1941 at the original St. Mary’s Hospital, and Sally grew up on her family’s hunting and fishing lodge on the White River near Meeker, Colorado. They were married in 1965.

The Prinsters have spent their lives in the service of others. Throughout the decades Tony and Sally have supported the mission of St. Mary’s and they believe that supporting St. Mary’s, whether by financial means or with a gift of time and effort, can enhance all lives in Western Colorado.

At 49 years old, Sally was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent a double mastectomy and beat cancer, but 15 years later it came back and had metastasized into her lymph nodes. She got chemotherapy, radiation, infusions and surgery at St. Mary’s. She is now living cancer-free.

“I had the most amazing care at St. Mary’s,” said Sally. “The oncologists, doctors and nurses were incredible, and I’m beyond grateful for them. That was one of the major drivers of the endowment. The way cancer has touched our lives and the lives of our friends and families made it important for us to support the oncology work at St. Mary’s.”

If you’d like to learn more about how you can support the critical care we provide at St. Mary’s, contact us today for a no-obligation conversation.