Gift supports collaborative space where cancer specialists develop personalized treatment plans
EL PASO, TX / ACCESS Newswire / August 17, 2026 / Ronnie and Ashley Lowenfield have committed $300,000 to establish the Ronald W. & E. Ashley Lowenfield Tumor Board Room at Texas Tech Health El Paso’s future Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center.
Part of the institution’s Building Hope Campaign, the gift will support a collaborative space where physicians, surgeons, radiologists and other specialists will review complex cancer cases and develop individualized treatment plans.
The Lowenfield family announced the gift July 27 during a special event at Texas Tech Health El Paso.
For Ronnie Lowenfield, CEO of Casa Auto Group, supporting the tumor board room reflects his belief that the best ideas emerge through collaboration.
“I think so much magic happens when people with a common vision get together and discuss ideas,” Ronnie said. “I wanted it to be a place where people could get together, be inspired and change the world.”
Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., president of Texas Tech Health El Paso, said the room will serve as a command center where multidisciplinary teams make some of the most important decisions in a patient’s cancer journey.
“Ronnie and Ashley Lowenfield have long believed in investing in the health and well-being of our community,” Dr. Lange said. “Their generosity reflects a shared commitment to ensuring families throughout the Borderplex have access to exceptional cancer care close to home.”
Construction on the Fox Cancer Center began in September 2025. The first comprehensive cancer center serving West Texas will bring cancer imaging, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research and clinical trials together in one location.
For the Lowenfields, the mission is personal. Cancer claimed the lives of Ronnie’s grandfather and Ashley’s grandfather. In 2023, Ronnie was diagnosed with cancer in his thumb.
One of the first people to reach out was Steve Fox, whose cancer journey inspired his family’s historic $25 million gift to establish the center. Fox connected Ronnie with physicians in Houston and helped guide him through treatment.
Today cancer-free, Ronnie looks forward to a brighter future for local patients.
“My hope is that the patients and their families have a sense of security because of the existence of this cancer center,” he said. “The financial burden of travel, the emotional burden of being away from your loved ones … is lightened.”
Ashley said the tumor board room reflects the values that guide their family’s philanthropy.
“We’ve been a part of the Texas Tech community for a long time, and it’s one of our favorite things to give back to,” she said. “Ronnie loves really great thoughts and people coming together to share. He thinks everyone has something to give.”
The Lowenfields have supported Texas Tech Health El Paso and the Borderplex through scholarships, student initiatives, cancer screening programs and other philanthropic efforts.
“I want to improve the well-being of the communities in which I serve,” Ronnie said. “That’s why I exist.”
Media Contact:
Marty Otero, 915-215-6017
marty.otero@ttuhsc.edu
SOURCE: Texas Tech Health El Paso
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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