Chris Baker memorial planned at new Cancer Center

Longtime Carson City resident and educator Christine Anne Baker will be memorialized at Carson-Tahoe Hospital's proposed cancer center.

A staunch supporter of the project, she died of complications from a brain tumor in June.

Dr. James Pitts and his wife, Carol, approached Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation, the body dedicated to fund-raising for the project, about the memorial.

The couple worked with Chris and her husband, Tom Baker, on the Cancer Center Campaign Cabinet, said Pam Graber, spokeswoman for the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation.

"Chris was great. She was there for us, whatever the meeting or event, whatever we asked her to do," Graber said. "Because of her wonderful spirit of survival, her energy and more importantly her enthusiasm for the project, the Foundation board agreed."

Chris, 59, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer about eight years ago and spent almost 100 days at Stanford Medical Center. She recovered after having had a bone marrow transplant using stem cells harvested from a family member.

She suffered a stroke brought on by a growing tumor and died June 19 at Washoe Medical Center, her family surrounding her.

The memorial site will be chosen at a later date.

Donations to the memorial may be made by calling Graber at 883-3308 or mailing them to Carson-Tahoe Hospital, P.O. Box 2168 Carson City, NV, 89702. Make checks payable to the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation.