PHOENIX (Oct. 31, 2025) – The Banner Health Foundation has received a $1 million gift from The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation to sustain and expand breast health services for patients at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center on the campus of Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.
This gift will provide patient financial assistance, help remove barriers to care for breast cancer patients, add patient navigation personnel to the team, and support informational materials and community education events to raise awareness of the importance of routine breast cancer screenings and early detection.
This represents the single largest gift The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation has made since its inception.
In recognition of this generous donation and our longstanding partnership with The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation, the Laura Dreier Breast Center at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix will be renamed the Carol Fitzgerald Breast Health Center in honor of Larry’s late mother, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2003 at just 47 years old.
“Everyone deserves access to quality screening, early detection, and the support of a trusted medical team,” said Larry Fitzgerald, Jr., founder of The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation. “By naming this center after my mother, Carol, we honor her legacy as an advocate and ensure that resources are available to those in our community who need them most.”
“Words do not describe how impactful this charitable gift will be for so many current and future breast cancer patients,” said Andy Petersen, president and chief executive officer of the Banner Health Foundation. “We cannot thank Larry enough for his longtime friendship and partnership and this extremely kind and generous gift that will make a significant impact now and for years to come.”
Fitzgerald’s relationship with the Banner Health Foundation began some 15 years ago when he served as honorary chairman for the Hope Starts Here campaign, leading a group of community volunteers to raise $20 million to help build and open Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center’s main campus in Gilbert. Since then, Banner MD Anderson has expanded its reach with extension sites in downtown Phoenix, the northwest Valley, Colorado, and soon to Scottsdale, with 200-plus providers serving more than 1.5 million patients, and a portfolio of more than 200 clinical trials currently underway.
Beginning in late 2024, Banner MD Anderson joined The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation’s Breast Believe Campaign, which launched on Nov. 1, 2022 to educate communities about early detection, prevention, symptoms and access surrounding a breast cancer diagnosis. Through this partnership, Banner MD Anderson brings its mobile mammography unit, The BIG Pink Bus, to a variety of events to bring life-saving screenings and breast health education into our communities.
This recent gift will further extend Banner MD Anderson’s breast cancer care, treatment, support, and education throughout the Valley.
“With breast cancer cases rising, especially in younger women, breaking down barriers to care couldn’t be more critical,” said David Paul, MD, senior physician executive at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. “This generous investment allows our team to do just that. Thank you, Larry, for this gift. It will be lifechanging for so many.”
“We are so proud to be in partnership with an organization like Banner that is committed to closing the disparity gap in underserved communities to ensure that everyone has access to quality care. We are looking forward to the many ways in which the newly named Carol Fitzgerald Breast Health Center will continue to serve those in need,” said Danielle Frost, executive director of The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation.
To learn more about breast cancer care at Banner MD Anderson, please visit our website.
About Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center delivers cancer care to patients through the partnership of Banner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner MD Anderson offers focused disease-specific expertise in the medical, radiation and surgical management of the cancer patient; an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to patient care; access to clinical trials and new investigative therapies; state-of-the-art technology for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of all types of cancer; oncology expertise in supportive care services. For more information, visit www.BannerMDAnderson.com.
About Banner Health Foundation
Established in 2001, the Banner Health Foundation engages the community and stewards charitable contributions to advance Banner Health’s nonprofit mission of making health care easier so life can be better. Contributions are invested locally to support patient care programs and services operated by Banner’s many hospitals and health care facilities across Arizona. For more information, visit www.bannerhealthfoundation.org.
About The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation
Established in 2005, the mission of The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation is to support youth education and breast cancer awareness by providing equitable access and support for underrepresented families and communities both nationally and internationally. For more information, visit TheLarryFitzgeraldFoundation.org
Caption for fitzgeraldbreastcenter03: (from left to right): Larry Fitzgerald Sr., Paula Edwards (Carol Fitzgerald’s sister, pink dress), Jaylen Fitzgerald (Marcus Fitzgerald's son, dark gray hoodie), Devin Fitzgerald (Larry's son, pink polo), Apollo Fitzgerald (Larry's son, navy polo), Milos Fitzgerald (Larry's son), Valerie Thomas (Carol’s sister), Marcus Fitzgerald (Larry's brother).
For further information contact us at: [email protected]
