MD Anderson visits the Bluff City

Memphis dinner event brings in $1.2 million for cancer research

BY Miriam Spradling

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, with Charlie McVean at his side, presents Drs. Ron DePinho and Fredrick Hagemeister with symbolic keys to the city. Photo by Miriam Spradling.

Longtime MD Anderson supporters Kay and Charlie McVean invited about 150 friends to their home in May to learn about MD Anderson’s cutting-edge research, treatment and prevention initiatives.

Presenting physicians included Ron DePinho, M.D., president of MD Anderson, and Fredrick Hagemeister, M.D., professor in Lymphoma/Myeloma and a care provider for Kay and several others in attendance. Both thanked the McVeans for generously establishing MD Anderson’s Lymphoma Tissue Bank.

Charlie surprised attendees with a $500,000 gift-matching challenge, which generated $1.2 million of support and a great deal of philanthropic interest among the community.

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