Heaven Can Wait began in 2000 after Charlene Levesque — wife of Central Oregon Running Klub (CORK) president, Joe Levesque — was diagnosed with breast cancer. Charlene's diagnosis prompted CORK to begin formulating the idea of an event that would promote early detection of cancer and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

Heaven Can Wait has grown into Central Oregon's premiere athletic event and an annual celebration of cancer survivorship.

The event pivoted for one year in 2020, as the community raised funds for St. Charles frontline caregivers during an unprecedented year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants ran or walked in their own neighborhoods, around Central Oregon, and in 14 different states and then shared their photos and stories on social media. We were able to provide support to frontline caregivers, and Sara’s Project continued to provide breast cancer support and education throughout the year.

Annual participation and sponsorship

Over the past 20+ years, more than $1.7 million has been raised to benefit Sara's Project.

**Funds raised in 2020 were allocated to the St. Charles Hero Fund to support first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Sara Fisher, a cherished high school teacher and counselor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985, there wasn’t a whole lot known about the disease.

Sara chose to take the most aggressive form of treatment because she thought it would provide her best chance to live. And she had a lot to live for — her husband, Roger; their twin sons, Mike and Mark; and her rewarding work with high school students.

“When Sara was diagnosed,” says her friend, Marilyn Karnopp,” she became angry at the idea that this terrible disease was happening to women and appalled at the number of women diagnosed.”

Before the many advocacy groups and foundations were formed, Sara was strongly directed toward advocating to find a cure. She pursued avenues for funding and awareness through a local state senator, and her efforts started to pay off as she saw more campaigning to promote breast cancer research.

Mark and Mike, who were 15 years old at the time, took their mother’s diagnosis pretty hard. The real difficulty came when the cancer metastasized to Sara’s brain in the spring of 1992.

Jane MacCloskey, a friend of Sara, had the initial concept for a fund that would assist other women with breast cancer. “As time went on and it appeared Sara’s cancer was terminal,” says MacCloskey, “I thought it would be wonderful to use her name and personality to begin helping other women in this same situation.”

MacCloskey connected with Peggy Carey, the former director of the St. Charles Cancer Program in Bend, Oregon. Together, they organized a group that included Sara’s friends, local doctors and St. Charles Foundation. The group established the Sara Fisher Breast Cancer Project —now known as Sara’s Project — and began brainstorming over ways to raise funds to assist women.

Sara continued to be active as long as she could. “She faced cancer with a phenomenal degree of courage,” says Roger, who is honored and humbled by what has transpired through Sara’s Project. “She was one of those people that walked into a room, and the room just lit up.”

A fund of St. Charles Foundation, Sara’s Project works closely with St. Charles Cancer Center to serve anyone facing breast cancer in our region, regardless of where they receive cancer treatment.

Meet Sara Fisher

A cherished teacher, counselor and inspirational community volunteer, Sara Fisher died in 1992 after a seven-year battle with breast cancer. Sara was an advocate for women’s health. In her honor, Sara’s Project continues to promote women’s health through education, outreach, research and breast cancer support services. Read full bio >

What does Sara's Project provide?

• Breast cancer kits with educational materials, local resources and product samples; these kits let newly diagnosed patients know they are not alone
• Underwriting costs for integrative therapies such as therapeutic massage, acupuncture, yoga and reiki
• Community education for early detection and risk reduction, plus educational services for breast cancer patients
• Help for under-insured patients, including mammograms and financial assistance for patients who need help with non-medical expenses such as transportation and lodging
• Breast cancer research through St. Charles Health System

How can I help?

Donate

You may make your donation in memory of or in honor of a loved one.

Use the online form (write "Sara's Project" in the Notes field.)

Mail: Sara's Project, St. Charles Foundation, 2500 NE Neff Rd, Bend, OR 97701 (checks payable to St. Charles Foundation)

Phone: 541-706-6996

Participate

Heaven Can Wait 5k Walk/Run

Sponsor/Volunteer

Host a fundraiser for Sara’s Project or volunteer to help with one of our programs or events.

For more information, call 541-706-5800.

St. Charles Health System is a nonprofit organization that provides care to all regardless of their ability to pay for services. 

Philanthropic donations fund innovation in programming, building expansions and initiatives that improve the patient experience. Thanks in part to generous community support, Central Oregon continues to have access to world-class health care close to home.

990 Form

St. Charles Foundation's tax return is available online at Guidestar.

St. Charles Foundation supports projects and ongoing initiatives that affect all aspects of patient care. Whether funding new leading-edge equipment, expansion of hospital facilities, programs that improve quality of life or services that guide patients through their treatment, the Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of our community.

Recent projects include:

• $5.3 million Patient Tower Project
• $40,000 for Madras Healing Garden
• $1.2 million St. Charles Family Care in La Pine
• $5.7 million Cancer Center
• $133,000 toward pediatric hospitalist program to improve patient experience in the pediatric unit
• $170,000 for a new isolette to transport sick babies to receive urgent care
• $20,000 for iStat bedside lab testing at St. Charles Prineville and Madras
• $860,162 over the past five years to support St. Charles caregivers through mini-grants
• $120,000 toward the Dialysis expansion and upgrade

Scholarship Opportunities in Central Oregon

The Gordon and Sandy Kelly Caregiver Education Fund was started with a generous gift from the family of Gordon and Sandy Kelly in appreciation of the compassionate care they both received from St. Charles caregivers. The fund provides scholarship support to St. Charles nurses and other caregivers who wish to further their careers in health care. If you would like to make a donation, please call the Foundation at 541-706-6996 or click to donate online. Please ensure “Gordon and Sandy Kelly Caregiver Education Fund" is selected as the donation designation.

Make a Donation

Apply for Scholarship
(St. Charles caregivers ONLY)

The Twylla Mae Knake Refresher Scholarship is for people who would like to re-enter the nursing profession and who are in an approved nursing re-entry program. It was made possible by Kathleen Kemple Adams to honor her mother’s legacy. If you would like to make a donation, please call the Foundation at 541-706-6996 or click to donate online. Please ensure “Twylla Mae Knake Refresher Scholarship" is selected as the donation designation.

Make a Donation

Apply for Scholarship

St. Charles Foundation is currently raising money for an endowment fund. The Dr. Lowery-North Nursing Scholarship and Education Fund will support nursing education for years to come. Dr. Lowery-North, who passed away Aug. 4, 2020, practiced emergency medicine for three decades and served his country as a flight surgeon in the Air National Guard. He always made time to mentor younger physicians and he highly valued the nurses he worked with and the nursing profession as a whole. “My favorite thing in life,” he said, “is helping people find their ideal jobs or experiences and then helping them … find pathways to help them achieve that.” His namesake scholarship will continue that legacy by helping nurses pursue their nursing career goals. The scholarship will be administered by St. Charles Foundation. If you would like to make a donation, please call the Foundation at 541-706-6996 or click to donate online. Please ensure "Dr. Lowery-North Nursing Scholarship and Education Fund" is selected as the donation designation. Scholarships will be available beginning in 2024.

Make a Donation

Each year, one graduating senior is awarded a $1,000 Children's Heart Scholarship toward their continued education. This scholarship is sponsored jointly by the Children’s Heart Center of Central Oregon and the Children’s Heart Fund of St. Charles Foundation.

Make a Donation

Apply for Scholarship

The Cascades East Area Health Education Center (CEAHEC) offers several scholarships for high school seniors and college students currently pursuing healthcare careers. St. Charles Foundation partially contributes to the scholarship program. For more information, go to the CEAHEC website.

Visit cascadeseast.org

Caregivers throughout St. Charles can apply for Mini Grants through St. Charles Foundation

How would you use up to $5,000 to improve patient care, community health or the cost of care? That's the question the Foundation has asked St. Charles caregivers, and the responses have been outstanding: Since 2011, St. Charles Foundation has awarded $1,000,000+ in Mini Grants to support caregiver-driven projects to improve patient care.

Caregivers have used Mini Grants in ingenious ways. One went toward the purchase of books for parents with sick children. Another provided music in the chemotherapy room. Another grant funded cell phone charging stations at all four hospitals.

Note: You must be a current employee of St. Charles Health System to apply.

April 2024 Mini Grant Application
 

Miracles are happening every day. Thanks to the generosity of St. Charles Foundation's donors, volunteers and supporters, they will continue to happen for years to come.

During the past 33 years, St. Charles Foundation has contributed more than $58 million to the St. Charles family of hospitals and clinics. In addition to supporting initiatives that directly impact the lives of individual patients, our successful capital campaigns have funded major expansions of health care facilities, as well as the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and technology. We are continually finding innovative solutions to the complex health care challenges that affect our community most.