Virtual Tour Launches Pap Corps Garden of Hope

In an effort to provide comfort and serenity to cancer patients, and to support cancer research, The Pap Corps Champions for Cancer Research recently unveiled the first look at its eagerly anticipated “Garden of Hope,” which is slated to bloom at The Pap Corps Campus of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Deerfield Beach.

More than 240 people tuned in for an hour-long Zoom webinar on October 15 to get their first look at colorful renderings of the garden, which is designed to be a place of peaceful reflection for those fighting cancer, their families, as well as health care workers.

“We are delighted to announce that construction will commence on the Garden of Hope this fall,” said Susan Dinter, chair of The Pap Corps, which supports vital research programs at Sylvester. “The garden will offer a place of tranquility and peace for patients, family, and all who visit the campus. The Pap Corps is honored to be spearheading this important project, which welcomes donors to create an enduring legacy while supporting the next survivor.”

Donors can support the Garden of Hope by purchasing multicolored bricks, with personalized messages, as well as benches and plaques that will adorn the garden. The garden will also feature a bronze-colored fountain and lush landscaping, including shade trees and flowers. All of the proceeds from the campaign will support Sylvester’s research programs.

“The Garden of Hope reflects the immeasurable generosity and conviction of The Pap Corps as we accelerate our efforts to eradicate cancer,” said Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester, who is also the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. “We are deeply grateful for their visionary partnership and the profound impact it continues to have on research excellence and patient care at Sylvester.”

The idea for the Garden of Hope was first planted when the Deerfield Beach location was named for The Pap Corps in honor of its historic $50 million pledge to Sylvester in 2016.  Overall, since its founding nearly 70 years ago, the nonprofit group has donated more than $110 million to Sylvester, which is the only NCI-designated cancer center in South Florida, and one of only two in the state.

The Pap Corps derives its name from Dr. George Papanicolaou, a pioneer in cytopathology and early cancer detection, who introduced the world to the revolutionary Pap test. A small group of women began the organization to support his efforts, and over the decades it has grown into an organization of more than 22,000 members, in more than 50 chapters, who raise funds to tackle all types of cancers.

The Pap Corps is planning three phases of the beautification project. Once the Garden of Hope is done, work will begin in an area behind the building, by the lake that will be known as the “Park of Hope.” A third phase, the “Path of Hope,” will be a walkway that will lead visitors from the Garden of Hope down to the lake area. During the Zoom webinar, Pap Corps leadership led viewers through a “virtual” walk through the garden.

“Purchasing a brick allows you to honor a significant person in a permanent fashion, while also supporting The Pap Corps’ mission to fund cancer research at Sylvester,” Dinter said. “This campaign is more crucial than ever, as donations to cancer research have been dramatically reduced since COVID-19. We encourage everyone who would like to do their part in eradicating cancer to join us in our quest.”

The design concept for the project was created by the architectural firm of Curtis & Rogers and will be handled by BDW Construction. Completion of the first phase is anticipated in the spring of 2021.

Bricks are available in size 4 x 8 for $365 and in size 8 x 8 for $730; engraving details and more information are available at https://www.thepapcorps.org/.

Tags: Garden of Hope, Pap Corps, Sylvester at Deerfield Beach, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center