$3 Million Gift to Colorado State’s College of Veterinary Medicine for Study and Application of Natural Therapies

In a first for Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a major portion of a $3 million gift will be directed to the scientific study and application of natural treatments to improve the quality of life for animals suffering from a variety of diseases, including cancer.

Charles and Lucia Shipley of Auburndale, Mass., gave $3 million to the college, with $1 million going toward the building fund for the new wing, which will house the Animal Cancer Center and the Argus Institute.

The remaining $2 million of the gift will be distributed over five years, at $400,000 annually. The Charles R. Shipley, Jr. and Lucia H. Shipley Center for Complementary Medicine and Natural Healing at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be the focus of scientific evaluation of a broad range of natural medicines and therapies harnessing the healing properties of flax, fish oils and other plants.

"This is a remarkable opportunity to explore a new frontier for cures never before imagined and to benefit countless numbers of seriously ill animals and, by doing so, the people who bring them to us," said Dr. Greg Ogilvie, head of medical oncology and director of the medical oncology laboratory in the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State.

"We want to help provide the caring, dedicated, world-class scientific team at the Animal Cancer Center with the facilities and the means to explore the healing potential of natural therapies," said the Shipleys. "We hope the results of their efforts will benefit both animals and humans suffering from a variety of serious illnesses."

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State was established in 1907 and has been a leader in developing and evaluating new advances in health care for animals. The veterinary medical program, which awards Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees, has consistently ranked among the top veterinary programs in the country. In the latest survey by U.S. News & World Report magazine, Colorado State was ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Charles and Lucia Shipley are lifelong dog lovers with a deep commitment to improving the quality and accessibility of health care for all animals, primarily through natural healing. They founded the Shipley Company in Newton, Massachusetts in 1957. The company has been a source of new technologies and a supplier of specialty chemicals for manufacturers of printed circuit boards and semiconductors. Each of the Shipleys has been awarded numerous patents, both in the United States and abroad. Together they built Shipley Company into a global enterprise that stands at the forefront of the electronic chemical industry.