A word from the president
Fall 2012 : Heirs apparent
Heirs apparent
More than 75 years ago, one man's vision inspired the origins of MD Anderson. Today, the board members of the MD Anderson Foundation enthusiastically continue that philanthropic tradition.
Patients fill MD Anderson's first waiting room at the Baker Estate in this archive photo featuring a white-capped Anna Hanselman at the telephone.
In 1907, Monroe D. Anderson, a successful banker and businessman from Jackson, Tenn., moved to Houston, where he and his partners in Anderson, Clayton and Co. oversaw what would become the world’s largest cotton merchant. In 1936, he established the MD Anderson Foundation with $300,000 and the commitment of two other trustees, John H. Freeman, and William B. Bates. Anderson died in 1939, leaving a fortune to the foundation.
The foundation’s purposes, according to the charter, include “the establishment, support and maintenance of hospitals, homes and institutions for the care of the sick” and “the promotion of health, science, education and advancement and diffusion of knowledge.” Its first major step in fulfilling those goals occurred in 1941, when the Texas legislature appropriated $500,000 to establish a cancer research hospital in the state (see related sidebar). Thanks to the foundation’s proposal to match those funds and its stipulation that the hospital be located in Houston and bear its founder’s name, the institution now known as The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was born.
Today, four board members head the MD Anderson Foundation: Charles Hall, Gibson Gayle Jr., Uriel Dutton and Leo Linbeck Jr. Gus Blackshear serves as advisory director.
President Charles Hall has more than an administrative relationship with MD Anderson. His daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at MD Anderson. Though she succumbed to the disease, Hall says he’ll always remember the quality of care that his daughter received and the support MD Anderson provided the entire family.
“We’re indeed fortunate to have MD Anderson, one of the world’s finest organizations, right here in Houston,” he says. “The institution has surpassed the standards set by the foundation’s original trustees.”
Board member Gibson Gayle Jr., a senior member of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, has personal ties to the institution as well. He’s been diagnosed with cancer twice, and both times he’s come to MD Anderson for treatment. Gayle’s experience has been so positive that he’s referred more than 200 people in the past 15 years, all of whom express “deep gratitude that they’re treated like family.”
“What makes our cancer center the finest in the world is not only the superb physicians, but also the skill, dedication and care of the support staff,” says Gayle, who served as foundation president from 1990 to 2009. “The founding members of the MD Anderson Foundation would be proud to see the results of their endeavors of many years ago.”
The foundation supports numerous other charitable and educational institutions. From 1959 to 2011, it made 131 gifts and pledges totaling more than $11,306,000 to MD Anderson. These funds have supported a variety of initiatives, from personalized cancer therapy to post-doctoral fellowships.
Hall describes MD Anderson as nothing short of “exceptional” and says he and fellow board members are proud to be a part of the foundation that helped the institution ― not to mention the 1,300-acre Texas Medical Center ― get its start.
“It’s an honor to be a part of a foundation with such heritage,” he says.
More Stories From Promise
The time is now
Moon Shots Program launches a decisive assault against cancer
iPromise
Marie and Kevin Brown, of Park City, Utah, have established the Megan Leigh Brown Fellowship for Ovarian Cancer at MD Anderson in memory of their daughter, whom they lost to ovarian cancer in 2009. Here, her mother reflects on her hope for "Megan's Miracle."
Survivors Say
Entrepreneur, fitness enthusiast and prostate cancer survivor John M. Floyd of Baytown, Texas, and his wife, Cher, recently contributed $50,000 to MD Anderson's Proton Therapy Center to support the research of Thomas Pugh, M.D., assistant professor of radiation oncology. John, chairman and CEO of John M. Floyd & Associates, explains the couple's decision to "pay it forward."
Jamie hopes for a cure
Jamie Gilmore, diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC), creates Jamie's Hope for a Cure.
School is back in style
Style was in session Aug. 25 as MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital and The Galleria in Houston hosted a back-to-school fashion show benefiting pediatric cancer patients.
Rogers Award recognizes Pam Redden
Pam Redden, director of clinical operations development at MD Anderson, is the recipient of the 2012 Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Administration.
CJ Foundation fights with faith
Since 2011, Chris Johnson has approached his diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma with one thought in mind: Fight with faith.
Refusing to lose
The Beth Allison DiPardo Memorial Fund has raised more than $38,000 for pediatric brain cancer research at MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital.
Greet the holiday with ease
MD Anderson's Holiday Giving Program is officially under way.
MD Anderson ranks No. 1 in cancer care
For the sixth consecutive year, MD Anderson ranks as the nation's top hospital for cancer care, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Hospitals" survey.
New BOV officers, associate members
Since 1957, the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors has served as an appointive group of volunteer advisers who help the Development Office raise funds, awareness and support for the institution.
Claudine Jreissaty claims 30th annual Arceneaux Award
Claudine Jreissaty, RN, says one goal has guided her as a nurse: "to help people through their journeys with cancer."
Depression affects cancer survival
Symptoms of depression can affect survival among patients recently diagnosed with metastatic kidney cancer.
An ironic twist
Genomic deletions promote cancer by carving up or eliminating tumor-suppressor genes. But the collateral damage neighboring genes incur exposes cancer cells to vulnerabilities and new avenues for attack, scientists report in the journal Nature.
Radiation and mastectomy
For the majority of older, early-stage breast cancer patients, radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery may help prevent the need for a later mastectomy, say MD Anderson researchers.