Community Raises $1M for New Breast Cancer Clinic

When the doors open this summer at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital's new breast clinic, every warm detail and thoughtful touch will exist because neighbors refused to let their community face cancer alone.

For two decades, East Pierce County residents have gathered each spring for Corks & Crush, an annual gala that's raised millions for local healthcare. Last year's event alone brought in over $1 million to expand cancer services at MultiCare Cancer Institute in Puyallup, and those funds are already transforming care.

The new breast clinic opening this summer represents something Dr. Yarrow McConnell has dreamed about for a decade. As the interim chief medical officer and breast oncology medical leader, she knows that specialized cancer surgery shouldn't require long drives to distant hospitals.

Together with surgical oncologist Dr. Elaine Jayne Buckley, the clinic will offer everything from lumpectomies and mastectomies to oncoplastic surgery and preventative procedures for high-risk patients. Women can also schedule risk assessments, genetic testing, and consultations with plastic surgeons about reconstruction options.

But the real innovation isn't just the advanced procedures. It's the entire atmosphere the team is building.

The clinic sits across the street from the cancer resource center, close enough for coordination but separate enough to ease anxiety. Many patients seeking breast care don't have cancer yet carry enormous worry, and the team designed every detail to bring comfort rather than clinical coldness.

Why This Inspires

Dr. McConnell wants patients walking into a space focused on their future, not their fears. Traditional medical environments often feel unwelcoming, particularly for women facing vulnerable moments, so this clinic prioritizes warmth at every turn.

As an East Pierce resident herself, Dr. McConnell sees her neighbors' generosity in action every day. The hundreds of patients she treats annually will benefit from a community that consistently shows up for one another.

"This is a community that pulls together and does incredible things," she says. The breast clinic stands as proof that when people act together, they can build exactly the healthcare their neighbors deserve.

On May 16, the community will gather again for the 20th anniversary gala, ready to fuel the next wave of lifesaving local care.