By TRACEY DRURY
tdrury@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1609

A $10 million gift from 10 local families brought Roswell Park Cancer Institute's capital campaign to 75 percent of goal - and a big step closer to beginning construction on a new clinical sciences center.

The Campaign to Build a Greater Roswell Park will support a $40 million Clinical Sciences Center. The 10-story, 123,500-square-foot center will be built at the corner of Michigan and Carlton streets, connected by bridges to the main hospital building.

The new funds come through the Circle of 10, a group of 10 families who each gave $1 million, bringing the total raised so far to $30 million: The RPCI Corp. has committed $10 million, while another $10 million has been raised through additional gifts.

"This is one of those rare opportunities to make a real, lasting difference in a meaningful way in the lives of so many people that are affected by cancer," said Scott Bieler, president of West Herr Automotive and a board member of the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation.

Bieler, who co-chairs the campaign, is among the 10 families that make up the Circle of 10.

Others include: the William and Nancy Gacioch family, owners of National Property Management Associates; the Garman family, philanthropists; and the Jacobs family, longtime supporters. Jeremy Jacobs Sr. is chairman of Delaware North Cos. Inc.

Anne Gioia, who lost her daughter Katherine to leukemia, is co-founder of the Roswell Park Alliance and a member of the Circle of 10, along with her husband, Richard Gioia, and Donna and Anthony Gioia, all longtime supporters.

"Our family has been privileged to witness and support Roswell Park's growth and achievements in the fight against cancer," she said.

Other members of the group include Patrick Lee, former Roswell board chairman and founder of the Patrick P. Lee Foundation; the late Lawrence Minet, a former economics professor at Canisius College and Roswell donor; Ralph Wilson Jr., Buffalo Bills owner and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation; and Stanford and Judith Lipsey. Lipsey is The Buffalo News publisher and was among the first members of the Roswell Park Community Council.

The final member of the Circle of 10 is G. Wayne Hawk and his wife, Charline (Bunkie) Hawk, a breast cancer survivor and founder of the Bosom Buddies support group and fundraising walk, which has raised more than $750,000.

First announced in March 2010, the Clinical Sciences Center calls for an expanded chemotherapy infusion clinic; a breast center with mammography services; and a patient education/survivorship center.

Construction is expected to begin sometime in 2012, pending the result of fundraising and other approvals.

The new facility's presence will also allow other clinics and patient-care areas to be expanded and renovated within the existing main hospital.

Representatives from each family were expected to participate in an event Wednesday afternoon at the site of the future center, where they were to sign a ceremonial steel beam.