In 1973, the Indiana Lions Cancer Control Fund, Inc. accepted its greatest challenge to date. The purchase of a 40 MeV (million electron volt) Linear Accelerator Sagittaire was purchased for $750,000. When the Sagittaire went online it was the most powerful radiation treatment machine in the world. It offered a wide range of radiation beam sizes, shapes, energies, and types making it by far the most versatile radiation therapy machine available. The Lions of Indiana also purchased a 1 MeV General Electric therapy unit for $57,000 and other smaller tools to help combat cancer.