Delivering Hope: How a Promise Kept is Transforming Community-Based Cancer Care in Lake County
Radoslav and Marija Nekić came to the United States seeking a better life and settled in the Collinwood/Eastlake area to raise their children, John and Vesna. Their story of resilience and generosity, like far too many, was ended by cancer.
Now John Nekić, MD, is honoring his parents’ memory with a gift to support the expanded UH Seidman Cancer Center at UH TriPoint Medical Center. The Radoslav and Marija Nekić Reception, made possible with matching support from Lake Health Foundation, will welcome patients and families facing cancer when the space opens in Fall 2026.
A Devastating Call
A collegiate soccer player turned physician, John Nekić, MD, was in medical school when his sister, Vesna, called him. “Dad’s sick,” she said.
Radoslav’s fight with colon cancer was quickly followed by his mother’s jarring diagnosis.
“She didn’t speak much English, so she couldn’t recall the type, just that it started with P,” said John. “I knew too much from school. I guessed every P-word I could before I asked, ‘Pancreatic cancer?’”
“That’s the one,” Marija told him.
At the time, the disease’s survival rate was in the single digits. With little savings and his mother’s final wish to visit family in Croatia, John was at a corner store when he tried something new. “God, someday I’ll have a bit of money,” he prayed, “but I need some right now. I’ll pay it back ten-fold.”
A Lucky Break
Weeks later, John made local news as the latest Cash Explosion winner. The proceeds fulfilled his mother’s wish and covered the family’s needs. Marija passed away shortly after returning from Croatia; Radoslav joined her passing away a few years later.
That experience changed how John understands responsibility.
An academic medicine physician, he helps students in and out of the classroom and leads clinical clerkship programs globally. He and his wife, Keri, also own Little Mountain Creamery and Johnny's Auto Spa & Detail where their primary goal is to mentor teens in their first jobs.
“I simply have to do all of this,” he said of paying it forward. “What I did for UH was truly a gift to me.”
The expanded UH Seidman Cancer Center at UH TriPoint will centralize oncology services, including clinical trials, imaging, pharmacy and integrative therapies. The Radoslav and Marija Nekić Reception will serve as a welcoming, light-filled entryway to the center, designed for patient comfort and clarity.
Matching Gifts From Lake Health Foundation Multiply Impact
In 2023, Lake Health Foundation made a $5 million gift to University Hospitals to support specialized, close-to-home care for Lake County patients and families. Of that, $2 million was reserved for matching support to double the impact of gifts like Dr. Nekić’s. Roughly $1.2 million of those funds is available to be matched. To qualify, donors must give between $25,000 and $1 million toward spendable projects at UH TriPoint or UH Lake West medical centers.
The Lake Health Foundation also recognized the leadership of Dr. Strosaker with a gift of $100,000. Dr. Strosaker has expanded Lake County healthcare services across trauma care, maternal care, a pediatric specialty clinic, sports medicine, orthopedics and more. A new education conference room will be named in her honor within the new cancer care hub, reflecting her longtime mentorship of rising healthcare professionals.
“We are honored and thrilled to recognize Dr. Strosaker, who has so positively transformed the Lake Health System,” said Ms. Thompson.