Carole and Ray Neag

Carole and Ray Neag

None of this would be possible without the generosity of Carole and Ray Neag. With a long history of philanthropic support for the University of Connecticut and UConn Health, their motivation was simple: to improve the lives of Connecticut families today and for years to come.

In 2004, the Neags made an extraordinary $10 million gift – the largest philanthropic donation in UConn Health’s history – to the cancer program, now called the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. This generous gift continues to support cancer research and clinical services. Their lasting goal is that Connecticut residents will never have to travel far for world-class cancer care.

“We have seen firsthand the advances that are occurring daily within the Cancer Center and understand the tremendous implications for those whose lives are affected by this disease,” Ray Neag said.

For years, the Neags’ generosity continued. In 2006, they made a substantial gift that allowed UConn Health to obtain the first TomoTherapy radiation oncology system in Connecticut. This truly revolutionary treatment targets tumors with unprecedented precision while protecting healthy tissue.

In 2008, due to the Neags’ generosity, UConn Health created an integrated imaging suite. This suite allowed for faster, more comfortable, and more precise diagnosis, along with planning and treatment services. It included a high-end, multi-slice scanner that perfectly served UConn Health’s missions of research, education, and clinical care.

In 2014, they made a gift of $3 million to expand its groundbreaking research on genomics-guided cancer treatment, which has great promise for developing innovative therapies for fighting the disease.

“This gift is yet another example of the thoughtful and visionary generosity so characteristic of Carole and Ray Neag,” says Dr. Pramod Srivastava, director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Through it, they are not only supporting us but also challenging us to rise to the demands of our times and fulfill one of our core missions, research.”

The gift was used to establish the Neag Cancer Immunology Translational Research Program in the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health and support clinical trials and activities in cancer immunology based on original research at UConn Health.

Connecticut has long been in the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Neag, both natives of Torrington. Ray Neag was also a graduate of UConn and the retired co-founder and vice chairman of Arrow International, Inc., a leading manufacturer of disposable critical care and cardiac products for the medical industry. Previous donations to the University have supported the Neag School of Education at Storrs and the cardiology program at UConn Health.

Ray Neag passed away in 2018, and Carole Neag passed in 2023. They are survived by their son, David, and his wife, Heidi; their daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, James; grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

“Carole and Ray devoted their lives to doing all they could to help others achieve their dreams and accomplish their goals for the betterment not only of themselves but society as a whole,” said UConn President Radenka Maric. “We at UConn are so grateful to the Neags for all they did to lift up this institution and generations of its people in pursuit of success, achievement, and excellence.”