TYLER, Texas — For 32 years, Greg Ortiz has been volunteering at the annual Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala, a fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society - an effort dear to the longtime volunteer's heart.
"I lost my wife to cancer, and it really brought it home to me to be more involved," Ortiz said. "I like what the American Cancer Society does to help those families who are traveling far to come see doctors."
Ortiz, who was among hundreds of volunteers and attendees at Saturday night's 34th annual Tyler Cattle Barons Gala, said he and others began setting up a week ago.
As a former state trooper, Ortiz always had a love for volunteering within the community like helping at Cattle Barons. Although this year is Ortiz's last to physically volunteer, he said he'll continue as an adviser.
Since its beginnings in 1988, Tyler Cattle Barons Gala has raised over $16.5 million locally to support both local and national cancer support services, including research.
Festivities at the gala included charitable silent and live auctions and raffles. This year's goal was to raise $450,000 for ACS.
Dr. Steven Curley, chief of the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Oncology Institute, said cancer is the most common cause of death in East Texas and Cattle Barons' fundraising greatly helps in the battle against cancer.
"I believe yes, we will hit that goal," Curley said. "That is going to allow American Cancer Society, all of its partners in the community, including us at the Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute, to continue expanding our work to reach more patients."
Spencer Smith, 2022 Tyler Cattle Barons co-chair, said the organization has been able to help fund cancer research because of its sponsors and media partners.
This year, there was a special paddle raise dedicated to a transportation grant to help local cancer patients get to and from their treatment appointments, Smith said.
Country music artist John Wolfe served as the headliner for the event at the Brunson Equestrian Center on the grounds of the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler. The 2022 theme was "Neon Rose.”
Wolfe said ahead of his performance that it felt good to be in East Texas.
"We're out here to support the American Cancer Society and play some country music for you guys," Wolfe said. "We play a lot of shows all over the country. When we get a chance to do something for someone else, we jump on it and this is a great opportunity for us to be involved."
Curley was also excited to unveil the logo for the Northeast Texas Cancer and Research Institute, a joint effort by Christus Health and Texas Oncology to improve access to cancer treatments in the region. Construction is expected to be complete this September.
"We now have a group of surgical oncologists here who also provide world class care for patients in the region. So we can take care of all types of cancer, whether it requires surgery, medical oncology, radiation, oncology, new treatments," Curley said. "We also have state of the art clinical trials for our patients, if they need newer treatments that are not available otherwise in the community."
Through the upcoming facility, Curley said cancer patients won't have to travel to large cities like Dallas or Houston for treatment.
"Now you don't have to go to those places, you can get your treatment closer to home," he said. "We can provide the level of care, the state of the art service and the cutting edge research that you would normally have to go to the big city to get."