A Carroll native is once again showing support for his hometown with a pledge for a substantial contribution toward the St. Anthony Regional Cancer Center Building Hope Capital Campaign. The hospital announced the commitment from John and Kate Strautman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Thursday. John, a 1980 Kuemper graduate, and Kate, who is also an Iowa native, have already demonstrated their commitment to the community. In 2019, the Strautmans donated $500,000 to the Kuemper Catholic School Foundation to establish the James J. Strautman Center for Academic Advancement in honor of John’s father and former Kuemper counselor, Jim Strautman. They were recognized by the Carroll Chamber of Commerce for this donation with the 2019 Good Neighbor Award. Like many people in the region, the Strautman family has been impacted by cancer multiple times. John’s mother, Joetta, passed away in 2000 from ovarian cancer. Kate’s sister, Carol, lost her fight to brain cancer in 2017 and her sister-in-law, Karen, died of lung and bone cancer in 2013. The Strautmans say, “We are very grateful for the opportunity to give back to the Carroll community once again and support the St. Anthony Regional Cancer Center which we feel will be one of the best, not only in western Iowa, but the entire state. We are blessed to be able to help in a small way and touch the lives of many patients and families facing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Never give up. Never give in.” Construction continues at the $17 million cancer center on St. Anthony’s campus in Carroll. The center is expected to begin treating patients starting Dec. 7.
