Pictured with this year’s gift of $220,000 from the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe is, from left, Mark Birtha, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento; Dr. Steven Blair, president and CEO of Sutter North Medical Group; Min Godwin, ambulatory services COO for Sutter Health’s Greater Sacramento Division; Crystal Chalk, Enterprise Rancheria Tribal Council member; and Cindy Smith, tribal secretary.

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Community leaders, healthcare professionals and philanthropic partners gathered Saturday to celebrate another successful Pinktober Gala hosted by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain. The event marked a meaningful milestone in the ongoing partnership between Sutter Health and the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe, owners of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, whose $1 million multi-year gift will support Sutter Health in continuing to propel cancer care forward in the Yuba-Sutter region.

“Partnering with Sutter Health allows us to invest in something deeply meaningful, and that is the health and well-being of our neighbors,” said Glenda Nelson, chairwoman of the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe. “Through this gift, we’re helping create a future where members of the Yuba-Sutter Region can access the care they need here in this community.”

A year ago, Sutter Health leaders accepted the landmark donation, the largest ever received by Sutter Medical Foundation, which is being distributed as $200,000 gifts annually over five years through the Enterprise Community Fund. This philanthropic investment is helping drive impactful innovations in cancer care for residents in and around Yuba and Sutter counties and the greater Sacramento region.

“We are excited to be partnering with Enterprise Rancheria to shape the future of cancer care for everyone in our community,” said Dr. Steven Blair, President and CEO of Sutter North Medical Group. “Together, we’re building a more comprehensive, integrated and connected health system that brings care closer to home.”

Sutter Health is currently in the early planning stages of a new cancer services facility near its Sutter Surgical Hospital North Valley campus. While details are still being finalized, the vision is clear: to address gaps in regional cancer care and bring more innovative, integrated treatment options to the area.

“This project is rooted in partnership, with the City of Yuba City, with local residents, and with generous supporters like the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe,” said Rachael McKinney, president of Sutter Health’s Greater Sacramento Division. “We’re laying the foundation for a future where patients can receive the care they need without leaving the support of their families, friends and community.”

The Pinktober Gala continues to be a powerful platform for raising awareness and support for cancer care initiatives. Funds raised through the event are helping Sutter Health expand access to high-quality care, building on its commitment to the Yuba-Sutter community. Sutter Health opened a new primary care clinic in Plumas Lake earlier this spring, and a lung cancer screening program launched last year to identify at-risk patients earlier and improve outcomes.

“This remarkable gift from the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe is more than a generous donation, it’s a powerful testament to the strength of community and shared purpose,” said Raya Elias-Petros, Sutter Health’s Chief Philanthropy Officer. “It reflects a deep belief in our mission to bring world-class cancer care closer to home and a commitment to transforming health outcomes through partnership. Together, we’re building a future where patients in the Yuba-Sutter region can access the care they need, surrounded by the support of their community.”

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain features the latest in live music and entertainment, hospitality, world-class gaming and exceptional cuisine. The property is Hard Rock’s first Vegas-style casino in California and offers a hotel with multiple suite options, a large gaming facility with 1,450 slot machines and 55 table games, along with an outdoor pool and deck area, large meeting space and five unparalleled restaurants. Owners of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain property, the Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria is a sovereign Native American Nation offering diverse tribal government services and programs that improve the quality of life for its some 1,000 tribal citizens and surrounding communities in Northern California. For more information on Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, visit www.hardrockhotelsacramento.com.

Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to advancing innovative patient care, healthy outcomes and community partnerships, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving more than 3.5 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 57,000 employees and clinicians, and 12,000+ affiliated physicians, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients.

Sutter Health delivers exceptional and affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops. Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming healthcare at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.