$10 M donated to the UA

The largest donation in UA history was made public yesterday as the parent company of a world-renowned Tucson health spa pledged $10 million over 10 years to the College of Medicine's Arizona Prevention Center.

Both Canyon Ranch Inc. and the Arizona Prevention Center are involved in preventative medicine and health promotion, said spokesman George Humphrey of the Arizona Health Sciences Center.

The donation will allow the two organizations to work together, Humphrey added.

Canyon Ranch founder Mel Zuckerman said, "If we can keep more people healthy so they won't require expensive medical treatments, we can truly make an impact on health-care costs and quality of life."

Zuckerman serves on the APC's advisory board and has contributed in the past to various UA medical programs.

APC is charged with encouraging research into preventative medicine focusing on Arizona's population.

The year-and-a-half-old center is the university's school of public health, fostering research between different colleges.

In April, the center was named a "Center of Excellence" by the Arizona Board of Regents.

In the last few months the APC has begun a master's program and has formed its own faculty.