A Transformative Gift Brings Help and Hope to Fighting Kids Cancer in Southwest VA

It is with great honor that the Life Ring Foundation announces the monumental donation from the Jim & Debbie Petrine Foundation for $863,000 in 2025. This donation is in furtherance of the Petrine’s long-standing philanthropic interest in supporting health care initiatives in Southwest Virginia. It will be utilized for the Life Ring Foundation’s Fighting Kids Cancer campaign, which supports pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment and resources to be more accessible in Roanoke, serving all Southwest Virginia and surrounding regions.

The Life Ring Foundation is a robust program partner to Carilion Clinic, that supports the growth of Carilion Children’s cancer care program and the provision of pediatric oncology and hematology treatment in the region. Together, our goal is to increase the capacity and accessibility so all children of the region, and beyond, have access to the best cancer care closest to where they live so they can stay close to home. Phase one funding priority of the program partnership is resourcing seven new positions inside pediatric oncology & hematology that will begin immediately in the current clinic inside Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, while the new Carilion Taubman Cancer Center construction is underway.

Jim & Debbie Petrine also received the 2024 Life Ring of Hope Award (pictured with Debbie Petrine, designed by Tay Whiteside at Lift Arc Studio). This award recognizes extraordinary generosity and leadership in advancing The Life Ring Foundation’s mission of Fighting Kids Cancer. Jim & Debbie Petrine’s unwavering support has helped strengthen the foundation’s reach and impact in bringing critical pediatric resources to our region urgently now, and well into the future.

“In short, we are thankful for the opportunity to support Life Ring in this way, and we look forward to watching the growth of pediatric cancer initiatives in this area we call home”

– James G. Petrine & Deborah L. Petrine