ONTARIO, OHIO – Nearly 300 donors to the Campaign for Avita gathered on Oct. 18 for a thank you dinner to celebrate the naming of Avita Health System’s new 20,000 square foot, state-of-the-art cancer center in Ontario. The new cancer center will be named the Avita Ontario Jody M. Baker Cancer Center and will be known as “The Jode Cancer Center” in honor of Jody M. Baker, who passed away on July 11, 2022 after battling cancer for nearly 25 years.

“We believe Avita Health System is poised to change cancer care for generations,” said Randy McDonald, Chair of the Avita Health Foundation. “More than 700 benefactors who have donated $9.3 million towards a $10 million goal have given people the opportunity to receive such a high level of quality cancer treatment close to home. This extraordinary level of giving is a gift like no other to our community. I’m grateful for the investment of the Avita Health System and foundation’s role in making this possible.”

Jerry Morasko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Avita Health System, announced a $5 million gift from Randy and Lisa Payne of Ontario, alongside their children, Randa Payne and Ryan (Melissa) Payne. Their contribution honors Lisa Payne’s late sister, Jody, with this most meaningful naming opportunity.

"Like countless families, we have been personally touched by cancer through the recent passing of my sister Jody in 2022 and my father-in-law Roger Payne in 2023,” shared Lisa Payne. “We know that this new cancer center, which will bring together the region's top medical and radiation oncologists, will offer best-in-class services in one dedicated setting and will bring renewed hope to people in this community and throughout the region."

“We are proud to live here and to call Crawford and Richland Counties home,” said Randy Payne. “This is where we were born and raised, where Lisa and I met, where we raised our family, grew so many friendships, and have built our business. Our involvement with Avita over the years inspired us to continue to support healthcare. Through our gift and in Jody’s memory, we are fully committed to support Avita and cancer care. Lisa and I knew that at some point in our lives, we would want to make one legacy gift — a once in a lifetime transformational gift — to a cause within our community. Although we talked about it several times, we had no idea when, or even what cause, we would support. Following the passing of Jody in 2022 and the loss of my father, Roger, to cancer in 2023, we knew that cancer care was the cause we would support. We ultimately knew that we could work with Avita to honor Jody’s legacy and her courageous battle with cancer, as well as my father’s, and we were inspired, happy, and grateful to do so. As part of our gift, we honored my father, by establishing the Roger L. Payne Cancer Innovation Fund. Thankfully, we are in a position to make this once-in-a-lifetime gift and will now focus on the fulfillment of our commitment over the next 10 years.”

Morasko also announced that Ohio Senator Mark Romanchuk helped secure $1.15 million in state capital funds to help move the construction phase of the $15 million project forward in February 2025. “These extraordinary gifts from Randy and Lisa, Senator Mark Romanchuk, and donors of thirty-two additional dedicated rooms in the cancer center and the establishment of four permanent endowments (gifts ranging from $10,000-$250,000), will make a generational impact on healthcare and cancer care for patients in Crawford, Richland, and surrounding counties,” stated Morasko.

Opening in November 2025, The Jode Cancer Center will feature a state-of-the-art TrueBeam® linear accelerator offering the most precise and effective radiation therapy available. In addition, the facility will house a new PET/CT scanner, a machine that combines PET scan and CT scan to create detailed images of the body. The new scanner will allow specialists to detect cancer at its earliest stages, assess the extent of the disease, and plan and monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Along with this new technology, the cancer center will feature a medical oncology clinic, a radiation oncology clinic, 16 infusion bays, a lab, and comprehensive pharmacy services, thus providing patients with seamless access to their care teams.

The Avita Health Foundation hopes to reach its $10 million goal for cancer services, which includes support for Hospice & Palliative Care, Survivorship, and other cancer programs by December 31, 2026.