In 1949, Lillian Converse was treated for terminal cancer. Although she knew there was little chance of her recovery, she desired to help others with the disease. Her physician, Dr. Henry Ullmann, dreamed of having a rare, one-million-volt x-ray machine to treat cancer patients in Santa Barbara. Lillian’s husband, Elisha Converse, made this dream a reality by donating the funds in the memory of his wife and firmly establishing the tradition of community support for the Cancer Center. In 1950, the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara purchased this machine, one of only seven in the United States used to treat cancer at that time. This pioneering vision for a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center in Santa Barbara has blossomed into a facility committed to advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of cancer.

                    
  Lillian Converse                                        Elisha Converse