January 17, 2008

(AP) The husband of the late Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis is urging Virginia legislators to boost funding for a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center at Hampton University.

Davis died of breast cancer in October. Her husband, Chuck Davis, spoke Thursday in Richmond at a news conference on Hampton's Proton Therapy Institute.

Governor Tim Kaine has proposed allocating $1 million for the project, but some legislators want to boost that to as much as $10 million. The center is expected to open in 2010 or 2011.

Davis said he didn't know if the cutting-edge proton therapy would have helped his wife because they were never told about it. He also acknowledged that the state budget is tight, but added that you can't put a price tag on the life of a loved one.