During the summer Paul and Carol Schaap spend time at their cabin on Clearwater Lake, a place they have been coming to since 1974. When the Schaaps learned about the Cook County North Shore Hospital’s need for a hood necessary for chemotherapy treatments, they donated the money needed to purchase not one, but two hoods.
Paul and Carol Schaap of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan and Grand Marais recently donated $52,000 to the Cook County North Shore Hospital and Care Center towards the purchase and installation of two Pharmagard 797 hoods that will be used during the chemotherapy process.
It is a gift that will—in the future—save Cook County cancer patients from having to drive to Duluth or the Twin Cities to receive some or all of their chemotherapy treatments.
Hospital/Care Center Administrator Kimber Wraalstad made the announcement at the hospital board’s September 23, 2015 meeting.
“We are very thankful, very thankful for the Schaaps’ gift,” said Wraalstad.
“As an organic chemist I am used to working with hoods and understand their importance,” said Paul. “Chemotherapy compounds are toxic and very powerful. They need to be kept in a very protective environment, and the hoods do that,” he said.
The Schaaps are well known by many in Cook County. They have had a cabin on Clearwater Lake since 1974 and spend a month here each year. “We are currently building a guest cabin for our relatives,” said Paul. “We have had a lot of family; nephews and nieces spend time here throughout the years. They love it up here and we love having them visit.”
The couple met at Wayne State University. Paul was an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Carol was secretary to the chemistry chair. Later Carol became the secretary to then-President David Adamany until 1990.
Paul retired as a full tenured professor of organic chemistry after starting Lumigen, Inc. a world-class biotech company in the late 1990s. Schaap’s ground breaking research led to the discovery of lifesaving medical diagnostic technology that is used worldwide to diagnose AIDS, cancer, hepatitis and other diseases. Lumigen, which was acquired by Beckman Coulter, is the world’s largest supplier of chemiluminiscent reagents to the clinical immunodiagnostic market.
The sale of Lumigen blessed the Schaaps financially, which allowed them to start giving back in a big way. In 2006, the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan made a large donation to build a new chemistry building at Wayne State University, which is now named the A. Paul Schaap Chemistry Building.
Two years earlier Paul and Carol gave money to Hope College to build a new Science Center that now houses the biology, chemistry, geological and environmental sciences, nursing and phycology department. Paul received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Hope before attending Harvard where he earned his PhD. in chemistry.
Hospital Board Chair Kay Olson, who also lives on Clearwater Lake, said the Schaaps attended a hospital open house held at the mid-Gunflint Trail Schaap Community Center (They donated money to build that community gathering place) held to inform the public about the $24.5 million addition/ rehabilitation for the facilities that are now taking place.
“Kay was the one who made us aware of the need for the hood(s),” Paul said. “In the last two years we have had family members who have had to undergo chemotherapy and it was a tough enough experience for them without having to make a long drive.”
Once they learned about the project they decided to pitch in and help.
These new hoods—plus some training for nursing staff—will allow cancer patients to come to the local hospital for at least some of their treatments, said Hospital Administrator Wraalstad.
One of the hoods will use negative pressure and one hood will use positive pressure. The change in pressures will minimize the possibility of contamination, minimizing the possibility of chemotherapy agents or hazardous materials migrating from the work area into the surrounding room. In short, the hoods help maintain a clean, safe working environment for staff and patients.
The hoods will be purchased and installed when the design and work on the pharmacy is complete, said Wraalstad.
“Carol and I are hopeful that this gift will inspire other people to give to the hospital/care center. If they find something they are passionate about they will be excited about it and want to contribute. That’s our hope anyway,” said Paul Schaap.
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