Huntsmans donate $41M to U. cancer center

Utah industrialist and philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman and his wife, Karen, have donated another $41 million to support the University of Utah?s Huntsman Cancer Institute. The donation to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, which provides financial support for the institute, comes on top of some $300 million the Huntsman family has donated to benefit the hospital and research center since it was founded in 1995. "Except for my family and faith, there is no cause more important to me than fighting cancer," Jon Huntsman said in a statement. "I have committed the rest of my life to doing all I can to support clinical and research efforts to eliminate this disease." The latest gift came as a surprise to many. "It was unexpected," said University of Utah President Michael K. Young. "But on the other hand, you come to expect the unexpected from the Huntsmans. [They] are without peer in their fight against cancer and in their commitment to relieve the pain and suffering of this insidious disease."