A lifetime commitment

Life Members of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors embody philanthropy, leadership and a community spirit. Through their dedication and devotion, this select group has furthered MD Anderson's mission and advanced the institution toward its goal to end cancer. Their belief in MD Anderson has motivated their personal generosity and inspired that of others. True ambassadors of Making Cancer History®, they've helped place MD Anderson at the forefront of cancer care, research, prevention and education. In 2015, the board welcomed two new Life Members: Lyda Hill of Dallas and James A. Baker, III, of Houston.

BY Sarah Watson

Photo by David Woo/Dallas Morning News.

Lyda Hill
Dallas

Lyda Hill's commitment to MD Anderson spans more than three decades. Her generous support of the institution has enhanced the lives of countless patients and their families. She's served on the Board of Visitors since 1980, playing a crucial role on the Development Committee from 2006 to 2007 and on the Events Committee since 2007. In 1990, she spearheaded and chaired the inaugural A Conversation With a Living Legend® event in Dallas. The luncheon-interview format that Hill conceived has evolved into a trademark MD Anderson event that has raised more than $33 million in cities across the nation. A longtime proponent of scientific research and biomedical advancement, Hill continues to lend her service and expertise to the Dallas Living Legend Executive and Steering committees. In 2009, she was inducted to the Anderson Assembly, which recognizes those who have contributed $1 million or more to MD Anderson. In 2013, she pledged $50 million to MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program. In recognition of Hill's generosity, MD Anderson named the Lyda Hill Cancer Prevention Center in her honor.

Photo courtesy of James A. Baker, III.

James A. Baker, III
Houston

James A. Baker, III's commitment to MD Anderson is rooted in nearly 75 years of tradition. His childhood playground, the estate of Captain James A. Baker, his grandfather, eventually became MD Anderson's first home in Houston. In 1979, former U.S. Secretary of State Baker was appointed to the Board of Visitors while serving as deputy secretary of commerce under President Gerald Ford. Secretary Baker's dedication to the Board of Visitors and MD Anderson continued throughout his political career, even as he ran five presidential campaigns for three presidents and was appointed to increasingly crucial government positions. Inducted to the Anderson Assembly in 2009, he lends his expertise to the Board of Visitors' Advisory Group's Global Programs and Events committees. In 2013, Secretary Baker was honored at A Conversation With a Living Legend® in Washington, D.C., which raised more than $4.5 million for MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program. Secretary Baker is a recipient of the institution's Making Cancer History® Award, which honors those who have made a difference through caring, integrity and discovery.

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Businesswoman, educator, philanthropist and sports enthusiast Nita Ambani, of Mumbai, India, joined the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors in 2014. She is founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, established in 2010 to provide impetus to various philanthropic initiatives of Reliance Industries Limited. The efforts of the group have touched the lives of more than 4 million people across India, in more than 5,500 villages and urban locations.