ROANOKE, Va. – Bill and Shireen Kirk of Roanoke dedicated their lives to giving back.
“We’re very blessed and have been very fortunate in our lives,” Bill said. “I’ve always been a believer from my parents, and my wife Shireen from her parents as well, to give back to the community when you can.”
The Kirks recognize the value of investing in their city from planting a business and raising children in Roanoke.
“Roanoke is a gem right now,” Bill said. “It’s not a huge city, but it’s not a small city. We certainly have a lot to offer, and I’ve found that it’s been easier to attract folks to this area than if I were in other places.”
Carilion Hospital is a driving force in the star city.
“Families moving into the Roanoke Valley, it’s something we have to offer,” Bill said. “We have world-class healthcare here, and I think this cancer center is a way for the hospital to bring some of that world-class care here.”
Carilion announced the beginning of a new world-class cancer center back in 2019, a project Bill and Shireen donated $1 million to in early August.
“We are overjoyed,” Ralph Alee, Vice President of Philanthropy at Carilion said. “To partner with Bill and Shireen Kirk is a great honor for us, and we are just delighted about the gift.”
The new cancer center hits close to home for Bill and Shireen.
“My wife and I have both lost our mothers to cancer ultimately, so it impacted our lives,” Bill said. “Shireen comes from a medical family, so both of us have a great respect for folks in the medical profession, the caregivers.”
This donation helps get the ball rolling after delays due to Covid.
“We are still in the early stages right now,” Alee said. “We have hired an architect, we’re working with them, so that’s where we are.”
The Kirks know this investment will pay off for years to come.
“This community has meant a lot to us and our family over the years and for us to be able to give back is a good thing for us to be able to do,” Bill said. “I certainly think it helps generations to come.”