$20 Million Donated to Cancer Center

In another sign that the city has hit the “philanthropic big leagues,” Padres baseball team majority owner John Moores and his wife have donated $20 million toward construction of a cancer research facility at UC San Diego, officials announced Thursday.

The facility, to be named after John and Rebecca Moores, will provide clinical and research space for more than 300 physicians, scientists and others now employed by the UC San Diego Cancer Center.

The university also announced receipt of $15 million for the center from Jerome Katzin, a retired investment banker and attorney, and his wife, Miriam.

With the Moores’ and Katzins’ and five other gifts of more than $1 million each, the university now has $47 million toward the $100 million needed to build the facility and fund supporting clinical care initiatives. Officials are confident that additional fund-raising will enable the center to open in 2003.

The gifts from the Moores and Katzins serve as additional evidence that San Diego has matured beyond its traditional niche as a “branch office” city that lacked the corporate muscle to provide big-ticket philanthropy.

“Just 10 years ago, it was an enormous deal if someone gave $10,000 in San Diego,” said Bob Kelly, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Community Foundation. “Now we are finally in the philanthropic big leagues. The difference these large grants are making in San Diego is enormous.”

In 1997, Sol Price--founder of the Price Club discount chain, since sold to Costco--donated $35 million to the foundation, which spreads largess to numerous local causes.

Moores, a computer software magnate, has also contributed $10 million toward new athletic facilities at San Diego State University. In addition, the Padres have given more than $400,000 to a pediatric cancer program.

Irwin Jacobs, founder of Qualcomm Inc., and his wife, Joan, donated $15 million to UC San Diego to support a variety of projects. The couple have given $5 million to the La Jolla Playhouse, and two weeks ago Qualcomm announced a $25-million commitment to the teaching of mathematics and science in schools and colleges.

In 1995, Audrey S. Geisel, widow of Dr. Seuss author Ted Geisel, made a sizable donation to the UC San Diego library. Although the dollar amount has never been revealed, it is thought to approximate $20 million.

Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald’s tycoon Ray Kroc, donated $80 million in 1998 to the local Salvation Army to build a sports and recreation complex in one of the city’s blue-collar neighborhoods. She also gave $25 million to the University of San Diego for an institute dedicated to peace and nonviolence.

Begun in 1979, the UC San Diego Cancer Center is one of the nation’s top cancer research facilities but has been hampered by having its offices and laboratories spread among numerous buildings on the La Jolla campus.

UC San Diego Chancellor Robert C. Dynes said that consolidating the cancer research activities has been a major priority for the university.