Issuu

SUMMER 2020

CHRONICLE of GIVING STOR IES OF HOW YOUR GIFTS C H A N G E L I V E S AT VC U H E A LT H

C OV E R ST O RY

A Family With Heart The Pauley family continues to help the Pauley Heart Center become one of the leading heart centers in the nation. / PAGE 4

M CV FOUNDATION NEWS

Two long-serving staff members celebrate milestones /

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M CV CAM PUS NEWS

VCU Massey Cancer Center welcomes a new director / M CV CAM PUS G IVING

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Alumni couple plants the seeds for a new scholarship at the College of Health Professions / PAGE 26

Chronicle of Giving

Letter from the Board Chair and President

Dear Friends:

MCV Foundation Board of Trustees

e hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy. It is during a time like this that we feel especially fortunate to partner with a world-class academic health center. We have watched how the extraordinary professionals at VCU Health have handled this health crisis with compassion and strength. We know that many of you have deep connections to the MCV Campus as you have gone to school here, taught here or received excellent care at VCU Health. Together, we feel a sense of pride and gratitude as we learn how the professionals at VCU Health have adapted so quickly by increasing hospital bed capacity early on, starting clinical trials to research potential treatments for COVID-19 and establishing a test for inpatients. We hope the stories in this issue continue to inspire you. Our cover story features the Pauley familyâ€™s exceptional gift that continues to fortify the Pauley Heart Center as a national leader in cardiac care. We honor the legacy of True Luck and the impact she and her family continue to have on VCU Massey Cancer Center. There are many more stories in this issue of how donors like you have created an impact by augmenting the lifesaving care, research and education at VCU Health. Some of you have asked what you can do to help. We have established the VCU Health COVID-19 Response Fund to support research and the clinical care needs of both patients and caregivers. You can learn more about the fund at www.support.vcu.edu/ covidresponse/ or by contacting Brian Thomas, MCV Foundation vice president and chief development officer, at 804-828-0067. Due to the time it takes to design, print and mail a magazine like this, we completed the writing for this issue in March, just as the pandemic was hitting the U.S. We hope life feels more normal for you by the time you receive our next issue. We know we will have many more stories of courage to share with you. Until then, we thank all of you who are healthcare providers. We honor the grace and bravery you show as you so selflessly serve in each of your communities. And we thank you, our donors, for your steadfast commitment to us and to this great institution. We know you stand with us through this crisis as we continue to support the healing, discovery and teaching mission of VCU Health. â—? Sincerely,

Farhad Aghdami, J.D. Wyatt S. Beazley IV, J.D. John O. Beckner, R.Ph. Charles F. Bryan Jr., Ph.D. Elizabeth Whalley Buono, J.D. Rachel L. Burgess George W. Burke III, M.D. Bronwyn M. Burnham Robert C. Canfield Charles M. Caravati Jr., M.D. I. Lee Chapman IV Herbert A. Claiborne III, J.D. Richard M. Clary, M.D. Charles F. Crone George P. Emerson Jr. Stephen J. Gaidos Sheryl L. Garland Basil Leonard Hurst III Darius A. Johnson Susan Kornstein, M.D. John A. Luke Jr. J. Keith Middleton H. Frederick T. Moore Robert F. Norfleet Jr. Rebecca T. Perdue Ghulam D. Qureshi, M.D. W. Taylor Reveley III, J.D. James H. Revere Jr., D.D.S. Michele A. Romano, M.D. John W. Slyh, C.P.A. T.K. Somanath Ellen E. Spong Tracy Kemp Stallings James H. Starkey III Judith Forehand Starkey Kit T. Sullivan, D.D.S. Harry R. Thalhimer Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., M.Sc. Michelle Y. Whitehurst-Cook, M.D. T. Spencer Williamson Ex Officio Members: Michael Rao, Ph.D. President of VCU and VCU Health System Peter F. Buckley, M.D.

Wyatt S. Beazley IV Board Chair

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Margaret Ann Bollmeier President

Interim Chief Executive Officer, VCU Health System and Senior Vice President, VCU Health Sciences

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Chronicle of Giving

Stan and Dorothy Pauley, in concert with their family foundation, have made a significant impact on the health of Central Virginians. Their generosity and vision in supporting the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center continued in 2019. Photo: Kevin Schindler

CONTENTS

The Chronicle of Giving is published by the MCV Foundation for alumni and friends of the Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. © 2020 MCV Foundation MANAGING EDITOR / Alex Henley EDITORS / Eric Peters and Paul Brockwell Jr. CONTRIBUTORS / Wyatt Beazley IV, Margaret Ann Bollmeier, David Silver and Brian Thomas GRAPHIC DESIGN / Kevin Schindler Art and Design —————————

The MCV Foundation was established in 1949 to inspire and steward philanthropy that supports the MCV Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. We support the clinical care, research and education mission of our MCV Campus partners: VCU College of Health Professions, VCU School of Dentistry, VCU School of Medicine, VCU School of Nursing, VCU School of Pharmacy, VCU Massey Cancer Center and VCU Medical Center. We manage over $600 million in assets to ensure the MCV Campus remains at the forefront of excellence and innovation in patient care, research and education. Through more than 1,700 funds, we provide scholarships, professorships, research and program funds to support the lifesaving work occurring at VCU Health every day. These funds allow VCU students, healthcare providers and researchers to be on the cutting edge of healthcare delivery, offering patients the most exciting treatments and medical technology available. We honor the history of the Medical College of Virginia and the value of philanthropy to healthcare education, research and service. —————————

ON THE COVER / Pauley Heart Center leaders,

researchers, physicians, nurses and staff gather to show thanks for the contributions, support and vision that the Pauley family has provided since naming the center in 2006. Photo: Allen Jones, VCU University Marketing

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GOING GREEN / If you would prefer to

receive this magazine via email, please contact alex.henley@vcuhealth.org to be added to the email distribution list.

MCV Foundation

4 COVER STORY

A Family With Heart The Pauley family continues to help the Pauley Heart Center become one of the leading heart centers in the nation.

MCV FOUNDATION NEWS

The foundation’s two longest-serving staff members celebrate milestones.

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering True Luck, a visionary and generous supporter of VCU’s MCV and Monroe Park campuses.

MCV CAMPUS NEWS

Welcoming a new director to VCU Massey Cancer Center and looking to the future.

MCV CAMPUS GIVING

Alumni couple fulfills pledge at the School of Dentistry, plants seeds for a new scholarship at the College of Health Professions.

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Cover story

A Family With Heart The Pauley family continues to help the Pauley Heart Center become one of the leading heart centers in the nation.

Pauley Heart Center leaders, researchers, physicians, nurses and staff gather to show thanks for the contributions, support and vision that the Pauley family has provided since naming the center in 2006. Photo: Allen Jones, VCU University Marketing

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MCV Foundation

In 2006, heart care on the MCV Campus at VCU Health was between two worlds. Behind it lay a rich history of pioneering work in some of the first cardiac transplant and angioplasty procedures ever completed. Ahead lay the possibility of building on that greatness, and of growing into one of the leading comprehensive heart centers in the nation. As community interest and philanthropic support began to take shape and plant the seeds of that growth, George Vetrovec, M.D., chair of the Division of Cardiology at the time, and his colleagues explored the possibility of naming the heart center. The benefits, he said, were of course financial, but also would come because “if someone who has done very well in the world is willing to put their name on this, it is going to give us a certain credibility.” Dr. Vetrovec didn’t have to look far. Stan and Dorothy Pauley were part of the

Cardiology Consortium he had helped establish to support the center. The couple, along with the Pauley Family Foundation, donated $5 million to establish the Pauley Heart Center in 2006. Stan, chair and CEO of Carpenter Company, had been treated at the heart center and said he was impressed with the dedication and personal care that the VCU Health staff had shown him. His doctor was and still is Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D., who today serves as the Martha M. and Harold W. Kimmerling, M.D., Chair of Cardiology. “The gift transformed our center from a division of cardiology like every other division of cardiology at every other medical school into something that could really achieve more,” Dr. Ellenbogen said. “Just by giving something a name, particularly a name like Pauley, it makes that thing more than just the sum of its parts. It makes it more united, it gives it a mission, it gives it more of a purpose.”

Greg Hundley, M.D., Pauley Heart Center director, and Stan Pauley cut the ribbon to the center’s new Cardiovascular Imaging Suite in 2018. They are flanked by Vigneshwar Kasirajan, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery; Ken Ellenbogen, M.D., chair of the Division of Cardiology; Peter Buckley, M.D., interim vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health System, and dean of the School of Medicine; Kathy Pauley Hickok; Marsha Rappley, M.D., former vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System; Deborah Davis, chief of strategic initiatives; and Gordon Ginder, M.D., former director of Massey Cancer Center. Photo: Kevin Morley, VCU University Marketing

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Cover story

Dorothy and Stan Pauley (center and right) gather with Ken Ellenbogen, M.D., chair of the Division of Cardiology, at a Pauley Heart Center Consortium event. Photo: Tom Kojcsich, VCU University Marketing

Stan and Dorothy Pauley visit a research space at VCU Health. Photo: Kevin Schindler

“The Pauley Heart Center has grown to become a beacon for patients and peers across the country that is setting the standard for patient care, research and education.” – Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System The purpose that gift solidified and bolstered in 2006 grew even stronger in 2013 when the Pauley family announced another $5 million pledge, again to expand and enhance recruitment and research at the center. “What makes a place special is the people who are attracted there,” Dr. Ellenbogen said. “This gift meant we had money to bring in people who are creative and successful. We could recruit people and let them explore ideas, accomplish something novel and then receive NIH grants to move their ideas forward.” By 2016, the Pauley family contributed additional funding that helped recruit Greg Hundley, M.D., the center’s first director, establish the center’s Cardiovascular Imaging Suite, and purchase the suite’s first 3T MRI scanner. The scanner has proven to be an invaluable investment. Thanks to its use, Pauley increased the number of cardiac MRIs by 95% in the first year and prevented at least 87 heart attacks. Additionally, five researchers were recruited to develop and test innovations toward management of patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure.

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Universitywide Giving Stan and Dorothy are longtime VCU supporters. Stan served as trustee of the College of Engineering Foundation, is a member of the VCU Founders’ Society and is an honorary member of the Pauley Heart Center Advisory Board. Kathy Pauley Hickok, Stan and Dorothy’s daughter, also serves as a member of the advisory board. In 2005 Stan and Dorothy pledged $4 million to the College of Engineering to support construction of its facility at the corner of Belvidere and Main streets. They also have supported Massey Cancer Center for many years. In total, Stan and Dorothy Pauley and their family’s foundation have donated or pledged more than $24 million to VCU and VCU Health System since the late 1980s. They were recognized in 2006 for their incredible generosity when they received VCU’s Edward A. Wayne Medal, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions or provided exemplary services to the university.

MCV Foundation

Stan Pauley (left) greets Dr. Hundley in 2018 before the ribbon cutting at the Pauley Heart Center Cardiovascular Imaging Suite. Kathy Pauley Hickok and Gene Hickok are also pictured as they await the ribbon cutting. Photo: Kevin Morley, VCU University Marketing

“VCU, VCU Health and the people we educate and treat every day are forever grateful for the tremendous, lifesaving contributions and vision the Pauleys have shared,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System. “The Pauley Heart Center has grown to become a beacon for patients and peers across the country that is setting the standard for patient care, research and education.”

The Lifesaving Legacy Continues “I always called Mr. Pauley ahead of time when we were expecting some good news or improved ranking to be published about the center,” Dr. Vetrovec remembers. “Mr. Pauley always said the same thing: ‘That’s great, what are you doing next?’ I think that was really a very inspirational message he sent us.” At the end of 2019, the Pauley family helped the heart center answer that question again when they pledged another $5 million to fortify VCU Health as a national leader in cardiac care. Their gift will provide resources to research, diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. These two types of irregular heart rhythms increase mortality, reduce quality of life and limit a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. As the population ages, atrial fibrillation is increasingly common. “The new funds from the Pauley family will help expand VCU Health imaging capabilities into the field of electrophysiology,” Dr. Hundley said. “New imaging devices will allow physicians to see precisely where — and most impor-

MCV Foundation

tantly, why — electrical issues in the heart are originating so they can be most accurately ablated or defibrillated.” The latest gift also will fund a research operating room in the Cottrell Surgical Innovation Suite and outfit the Pauley Heart Center Outpatient Imaging Clinic with an advanced cardiac MRI scanner and CT scanner, expanding non-ionizing radiation (or non-X-ray) imaging capabilities. The ability to provide cardiac imaging to patients with implanted devices will allow VCU Health to more efficiently and effectively diagnose and treat diseases like atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, aortic aneurysm, heart valve disease and cardiac tumors. “I am happy to help support the Pauley Heart Center because the people involved are dedicated professionals who have complete concern for the welfare of their patients, and they have exceptional excellence in their field of endeavor,” Stan said recently. “I can’t overestimate the Pauley family’s gifts in terms of improving the care of people all over Virginia and beyond,” Dr. Ellenbogen said. “Having the ability to see the sorts of things that we previously weren’t seeing and being able to achieve cutting-edge procedures that we couldn’t do before has been remarkable and impressive in terms of how much it has helped people.” If you are interested in supporting your family and neighbors who are facing cardiovascular challenges, learn how you can make a difference by contacting Carrie Mills, a VCU Health senior major gift officer, at 804-828-0423 or carrie.r.mills@ vcuhealth.org. ●

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MCV Foundation News

Two Foundation Staff Members Celebrate Milestones Earlier this year, two MCV Foundation staff members celebrated impressive work anniversaries — Brian Thomas has been with the foundation for 10 years and Joyce Bush has been on staff for 20 years. In a time when many people change jobs every few years, we spoke with them to learn about what keeps them coming back year after year. Left: Brian and his wife Carla attend the foundation’s annual dinner and awards ceremony. Photo: Kevin Schindler Below: Brian and the foundation team of Jenny Wandelt, Crystal Puryear, Tracey Bigelow and Laura Dickinson (left to right) help make the Discovery Series in Williamsburg a memorable event for attendees. Photo: Skip Rowland Photography

Brian Thomas As many of you already know, Brian Thomas is vice president and chief development officer for the MCV Foundation, where he works with donors and development colleagues to secure principal, major and planned gifts to benefit the MCV Campus. Brian has devoted his entire career to philanthropy. His first job in was in the development office at his alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College, where he worked with alumni raising money for the annual fund. After working in development at the University of Richmond School of Law, Stetson University College of Law (St. Petersburg, Florida) and Vanderbilt University School of Law (Nashville, Tennessee), he came back to Richmond to work with the VCU College of Engineering Foundation in 2005. He has been with the MCV Foundation since 2009.

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“The foundation has grown substantially in staff and asset size since 2009 – we’ve almost doubled in both,” Brian said. “I’ve seen the foundation strengthen its relationship with colleagues across the MCV Campus and university. The foundation has evolved and affirmed itself as a key player in philanthropy on the medical campus and at the university.” It’s the nature of the work, helping individuals realize their goals of supporting important research and patient care initiatives on this campus, that is very meaningful, Brian told us. “I’ve especially enjoyed the outreach initiatives, which have raised the visibility of the foundation among our constituent groups. It has been rewarding to see a number of new donors that we’ve been able to attract.” Brian’s role is certainly critical to the mission of the

MCV Foundation

foundation. “Building and fostering relationships is fundamental to what we do through our publications, programs and interactions with donors,” Brian said. “Fundraising is an important outcome for the benefit of the campus, and we’re only going to be successful if we’re doing all these other things well — communicating and stewarding our donors in thoughtful ways.” Brian’s influence has also been felt far beyond VCU Health and the MCV Campus. This year, he was awarded the 2020

Council for the Advancement and Support of Education District III Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his lifetime achievement in working with development professionals across institutions of higher education. “This has been the most rewarding stop on my career path, and I really look forward to working to realize some of the ambitious goals that the university and health system have set to enhance the campus and improve patient care,” Brian said. “There’s still so much work to be done.” ●

Below: Joyce greets fiscal officers coming to the foundation with a smiling face, ready to help. Photo: Alex Henley

Above: Joyce meets with friends of the foundation like Kay Clary at the annual board dinner and awards ceremony. Photo: Kevin Schindler

Joyce Bush Joyce Bush has been an accountant with the foundation since 1999. She oversees accounts payable and assists MCV Campus fiscal personnel with requests. Joyce is an alumna of VCU and spent seven years as an accountant in the private sector and 15 years in the nonprofit sector before joining the foundation. For Joyce, accounting is a family business. “I have three brothers and two are CPAs. Since they enjoyed it so much and I liked numbers, I decided to go into accounting,” she told us. Joyce worked her way up to controller at another firm, but decided to make a change. “I wanted to give something back and felt like the foundation was helping people with research and educating students. It was more about giving versus taking.” When Joyce came to the foundation in June 1999 there were six people — three in development and three in accounting — and it was located in the Putney House on Marshall Street. “It’s been rewarding to watch all the growth

MCV Foundation

— there’s more research going on and more scholarship funds that help students. I enjoy seeing the students graduate and go on into their professions. The campus has also grown and there are more buildings,” she said. Joyce helps the fiscal officers at the different units on the MCV Campus find the right funds to spend the money. “Sometimes there’s a need, but the funds are restricted, so I help the person look through the funds they have and find one that will meet their purpose — that’s rewarding.” Joyce also helps train the fiscal officers on campus. “That’s the highlight of my day. We’re a team. If one of us doesn’t understand something, then the whole team fails. It’s not them and us, it’s working together to find a solution. “I just enjoy working here and hopefully will stay a lot longer. The foundation staff and MCV Campus staff are wonderful to work with and that’s what keeps me coming back — the mission and seeing the growth.” ●

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MCV Foundation News

MCV Foundation Staff Updates Paul Brockwell Jr.

Marketing Communications Manager Paul began as marketing communications manager in July 2019 at the MCV Foundation. Prior to this role, he was a senior communications strategy specialist with the State Corporation Commission and worked nearly six years in higher education communications at the University of Richmond, where his writing earned CASE and PRSA regional recognition. Paul earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from William & Mary and a master’s in public communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. In the community, he serves on the Library of Virginia Board, the W&M Leadership Advisory Council and in various volunteer roles at Grace Baptist Church. ●

Laura Dickinson

Development Analyst and Project Coordinator Laura joined the MCV Foundation in September 2019 as development analyst and project coordinator. In this capacity, she provides data analysis and project management to support development activities for the foundation. Laura has worked in resource development in the nonprofit sector for more than 10 years and brings a breadth of skills and experience to the foundation, including database management, special events, prospect research, analytics and reporting. Laura holds a B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a certificate in fund development from University of Richmond. Laura is passionate about the city and lives in the Carillon neighborhood of Byrd Park with her husband Ash and young daughter Willow. She spends most of her free time with her family and friends, and enjoys exploring the city, traveling, trying new restaurants, seeing live music and visiting museums. ●

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MCV Foundation

Two Lifetimes of Service and Philanthropy On Nov. 14, Judy Collins, RN, WHNP, and Joe Teefey received well-deserved recognition for their decades of work making Central Virginia a safer, healthier place to live. The couple, who are both MCV Foundation Lifetime Honorary Trustees, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Central Virginia Chapter. Their nomination letter, submitted by the MCV Foundation and LifeSpire of Virginia, noted Judy’s and Joe’s history of leveraging their professional expertise in healthcare and senior services to bring people and organizations together to serve community members across the region. “The impact Judy and Joe have had individually on this community is remarkable, but the force that these two have become as a team is truly amazing,” said Margaret Ann Bollmeier, MCV Foundation president. “From directly

During their acceptance of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Central Virginia Chapter in November, Judy Collins and Joe Teefey address the audience gathered at the Richmond Convention Center. Photo: Scott Elmquist

improving healthcare delivery and healthy living options to ensuring that our educational institution, especially the School of Nursing, is equipped to meet the needs of our neighbors for decades to come, these two have inspired us and improved thousands of lives.” The MCV Foundation salutes Judy and Joe for two lifetimes of service to others and congratulates them for their award. ●

MCV Campus Endowed Scholarships In light of concerns surrounding COVID-19, the MCV Foundation canceled its annual MCV Campus Endowed Scholarship Brunch that was scheduled for March 22. The event has been an opportunity for scholarship donors and recipients to meet, say thank you, discuss past and future careers, and sometimes make lifelong connections. While it didn’t take place this spring, the impact and generosity of scholarship donors is still

quite remarkable and worthy of praise. This year, donors accounted for 452 scholarships, which is 39 more than last year. Through these endowed scholarships, students from across the MCV Campus had access to $3.1 million in funding and support. Scholarships range from modest support to full tuition coverage, and donors can establish their own endowments or contribute to existing funds. ●

Resources Available to Students on the MCV Campus in the 2019-20 Academic Year

452 $ 3.1 Scholarships

Million

To learn more about the various ways to establish a scholarship or grow an existing one, visit www.MCVFoundation.org/give.

MCV Foundation

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MCV Foundation News

Health in History: Expert VCU Health Panel Discusses Cancer Research and Treatment

Walter Lawrence, M.D. (left), professor of surgery emeritus and VCU Massey Cancer Center’s director emeritus, shares insights from the history of cancer treatments while moderator Peter Buckley, M.D. (center), interim CEO of VCU Health and dean of the School of Medicine, and panelist John McCarty, M.D. (right), director of Massey’s Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program, look on and listen. Photos courtesy of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Chronicle of Giving

TEN years ago, physician and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., published The Emperor of All Maladies, his critically acclaimed book on cancer. In the decade since, doctors and researchers have changed how physicians approach treating various cancers. Dr. Mukherjee’s book was inspiration for the event, “Is Cancer Still the Emperor? How Innovative Research and Treatments Offer Hope for a Cure.” More than 300 guests braved an unusually cold November night to hear a panel of VCU Health cancer experts share their insights on the history and evolution of cancer care and advances in treatment and prevention. This event was the third in

Summer 2020

a series the MCV Foundation hosted in partnership with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. The featured panelists were Walter Lawrence, M.D., professor of surgery emeritus and director emeritus of VCU Massey Cancer Center; Steven Grant, M.D., professor of internal medicine and associate director for translational research at Massey; and John McCarty, M.D., professor of internal medicine and director of the Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program at Massey. Peter Buckley, M.D., interim CEO of VCU Health and dean of the VCU School of Medicine, moderated the conversation. “There’s not a family in America who hasn’t been affected by cancer,”

MCV Foundation

Dr. Buckley said. Panelists discussed how cancer treatment has evolved from primarily surgical-based approaches with varied success to the personalized oncology of today. The promise of evolving and new therapies was a recurring theme. Dr. McCarty discussed how gene alteration and immunotherapy are providing options for patients previously sent into hospice care. “We’re seeing some amazing responses from people with metastatic melanoma,” Dr. McCarty said. He explained how immunotherapy genetically modifies and trains the body’s immune system cells to target cancer cells before being infused back into the patient. Panelists shared a positive outlook on advancements in cancer treatment and research. The American Cancer Society, Dr. Lawrence noted, recorded significant decreases in deaths due to lung, breast, and prostate cancer from 1990 to 2017, which illustrates the importance of prevention research and early detection of cancer.

The panel at “Is Cancer Still the Emperor? How Innovative Research and Treatments Offer Hope for a Cure” discusses the history of cancer treatment and research and the cutting-edge therapies available on the MCV Campus.

Event attendees enjoy the reception and discuss the evening’s topic following the Health in History panel.

Planning for future Health in History events is underway. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Brian Thomas, vice president and chief development officer at the MCV Foundation, at brian.thomas@vcuhealth.org or 804-828-0067. ●

MCV Foundation

About the Health in History Series The Health in History series encourages attendees to explore the interplay between history and health in our community and country by featuring authors of medical history and experts from the MCV Campus who can highlight the advances in care available in Richmond. Over three events, the MCV Foundation and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture have explored the groundbreaking transplant work pioneered on the MCV Campus, the fascinating history of the 1918 flu pandemic and the history of cancer care. The Health in History series would not exist without Austin Brockenbrough III, a trustee of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and lifetime honoree trustee of the MCV Foundation. Austin’s creative vision for this series helps to raise awareness of the outstanding medical care and research happening at VCU Health. Charles F. Bryan Jr., Ph.D., provides another strong connection between our foundation and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. He is president and CEO emeritus of the Virginia Historical Society and a trustee of the foundation. Generous support from the Virginia Sargeant Reynolds Foundation funded the series through its first three years. ●

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MCV Foundation News

Trustee’s Corner In this issue, the foundation debuts a new regular feature to highlight the stories and diverse talents of the leaders who serve on our board of trustees.

W. TAY LOR R EV ELEY III joined the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees in 2019. He comes to the board with a storied career in higher education leadership. Taylor served as William & Mary’s 27th president. Prior to that, he was dean of the university’s law school. Higher education leadership runs in the Reveley family. His father, W. Taylor Reveley II, was president of Hampden-Sydney College from 1963 to 1977, and his son, W. Taylor Reveley IV, has been president of Longwood University since 2013. Taylor is the author of War Powers of the President and Congress: Who Holds the Arrows and the Olive Branch?, and he co-directed the National War Powers Commission from 2007 to 2009. Before joining William & Mary, he practiced law for nearly three decades at Hunton & Williams (now Hunton Andrews Kurth), specializing in energy and environmental matters. He was managing partner of the firm for nine years during a time of significant growth in its national and international reach. What’s your first memory or association with the MCV Campus? The Medical College of Virginia was created by HampdenSydney College in 1838, which I believe is the date all VCU now uses for its origin. When my father was president of Hampden-Sydney, the ties between MCV and Hampden-

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Sydney were still strong. I developed a real affection for the medical college at that time. I also came to know it as the place where my mother went for important treatment. To what extent has healthcare been an area of concern for you in years past? Healthcare has been on my mind for quite some time. It got a good bit of my attention when I was at William & Mary. Ensuring the wellbeing of the campus community was always crucial. The need for medical services for our students kept growing, and we scrambled constantly to meet it. The cost of healthcare took an ever increasing bite out of the university’s budget. And I was concerned to get W&M more active in health-related research and instruction. What inspired you to say yes to joining the MCV Foundation board? Healthcare looms not simply large, but huge, in our society’s economic and political future. There is a whole lot about healthcare that remains veiled in mystery for me, despite its growing centrality to national, state and local life, as well as the lives of each of us. The science of healthcare, as well as its capacity to make a difference for the better in the lives of countless people, is advancing at a stunning pace. And there

MCV Foundation

W. Taylor Reveley III was the 27th president of William & Mary. He joined the MCV Foundation board in 2019 and lives in Richmond. Taylor has served as a leader on boards across the country, including at Princeton University, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Richmond Symphony, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Historical Society and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Photo: Steven Biver

Higher education is often under attack from people who question the rising cost and value of a university education. Why does it remain more important than ever to build support for universities?

is a whole lot going on at VCU Health that is terra incognita for me, so I want to know more about all this and to help in whatever tiny way feasible. Against this background, I came to believe service on the MCV Foundation board would be a promising way to get involved. Then, too, Harry Thalhimer was silver-tongued and persistent when singing the foundation’s song to me. What similarities have you noticed between your career in higher education leadership and the opportunities and challenges facing the MCV Foundation and VCU Health? To mention only three: There is vast potential to do good, there are never enough financial resources to sustain the mission as it could and should be sustained, and effective communications are essential with all those important to the institution, both on campus and off.

MCV Foundation

History makes clear our colleges and universities constitute one of the most indestructible industries in the United States. They create and transmit knowledge to an extraordinary degree. They are engines of economic development and prime instruments of social mobility. They produce graduates who, compared to other Americans, disproportionately get rewarding jobs, pay taxes, participate in civic life and the workings of our democracy, marry and avoid divorce, are healthy and stay out of jail. There is no substitute for our colleges and universities. They face serious challenges and must keep evolving to meet them. I’m confident they will. In your experience, how important is private philanthropy to higher education? Flatly essential. Other sources of revenue will never be sufficient by themselves unless we are willing to settle for pervasively mediocre results. Higher education at the lowest common denominator would be devastating for our communities, states and nation. ●

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MCV Foundation News

IN MEMORIAM

True Farr Luck November 9, 1933 - October 28, 2019

T RU E LUCK grew up in Roanoke, Va., and made an aweinspiring impact in the Richmond area. She is remembered as a gracious, visionary philanthropist with an eye for style and fashion that impressed all who had the pleasure of meeting her. She valued the importance of art and education in building a better society and modeled the importance of giving to her family. True and her husband, Charles S. Luck III, raised their three children to have strong values of personal responsibility to support their community. Her and her family’s support spanned both campuses and will continue to impact students, faculty, patients and the community for many years to come, especially on the MCV Campus. “The generosity of the Luck family has had a significant and lasting impact on VCU Massey Cancer Center,” said Gordon Ginder, M.D., Lipman Chair in Oncology and former director of Massey. “In particular, the creation of the Harrigan, Haw and Luck Families Chair in Cancer Research

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elevated the capabilities of our clinical trials program to its greatest level.” That cancer research chair allowed Massey to recruit a world-renowned breast cancer researcher, whose work changed the way care is provided worldwide. The Luck family and their business, Luck Corporation, have been longtime supporters of Massey Club and the Women & Wellness Forum Series. When cancer hit close to home, the family’s desire to support Massey became more personal than ever. In 2006, True and her daughter, Terrell Luck Harrigan, received treatment for cancer at Massey for small-cell lung cancer and breast cancer, respectively. Her daughter joined the Massey Advisory Board after her treatment, and the family continues to invest in the fight against cancer. In addition to supporting VCU Massey Cancer Center, True and her family have been generous benefactors at the School of Business, Rice Rivers Institute and VCU’s Institute

True Farr Luck and Charles S. Luck III have spread their generosity and service far and wide across the university while inspiring their family to support community causes. Pictured left to right are Charlie Luck IV, Shep Haw, Lisa Luck, Cynthia Haw, True Luck, Charles S. Luck III, Elliott Harrigan and his wife Terrell. Photo: VCU Development and Alumni Relations

for Contemporary Art. Her early and enthusiastic support of the ICA inspired additional major gifts. “She loved surrounding herself with beauty,” said one granddaughter in eulogizing True, “She dove headfirst into everything she said ‘yes’ to.” Friends remember her as someone who could charge into a room and immediately command a presence. In later years, she was known for decorating her walker with flowers and never letting anything get in the way of her engagement with the causes she loved most. Her and her husband’s extraordinary philanthropy and volunteer service resulted in the couple receiving one of the university’s highest honors, the Edward A. Wayne Medal, in 2016. “The Lucks’ mission to ignite human potential aligns clearly with the values and goals we cherish at VCU,” said Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System.

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“The Lucks’ mission to ignite human potential aligns clearly with the values and goals we cherish at VCU.” – Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System

The MCV Foundation, and the entire MCV Campus and VCU community, will be forever grateful for the service, compassion and vision for bettering human lives that are essential parts of True Luck’s legacy. ●

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Massey’s New Director Robert Winn, M.D., shares his vision for Massey’s future.

R Robert Winn, M.D., a lung cancer and health disparities expert, began his new role as director of VCU Massey Cancer Center in December. Previously he served as director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center. Photos: Allen Jones, VCU University Marketing

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ROBERT WINN, M.D., began as director of VCU Massey Cancer Center in December and has quickly hit the ground running to enact an ambitious agenda while also leading Massey’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the lives of many patients and families. Dr. Winn, an expert in lung cancer and community-based healthcare, came to VCU from Chicago where he served as director of the University of Illinois Cancer Center and as associate vice chancellor of health affairs for community-based practice at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Science System. “My story is an interesting one,” Dr. Winn said. “When I think about how I became a healthcare professional and particularly a cancer center director, it is the prime example of people seeing something in me that I may not have seen in myself.” Dr. Winn holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine and critical care at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

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Robert Winn, M.D., holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine and critical care at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

At Notre Dame, Dr. Winn remembers frequently debating two priests who recognized his potential even when he did not see it in himself. In fact, he argued with them that he could not possibly become a physician. “They ultimately won, thank goodness,” Dr. Winn said. “I think I’m a prime example of why pipeline programs are important. It’s been a fun journey, but I would not be here without a lot of help.” At UICC, he built a community-to-bench integrated health model that brings together both the discovery and implementation sciences into one health delivery and research system, and he oversaw the research and clinical activities of 13 federally qualified health centers. “Saying ‘yes’ to VCU Massey was one of the easiest things I’ve had to do in my life,” Dr. Winn said. “Their mission to relieve suffering and death from cancer is perfectly aligned with my own values and priorities, and I am incredibly impressed with the cancer center’s research, clinical and educational programs as well as the collaboration that Massey fosters across VCU Health and beyond to discover, develop, deliver and teach effective means to prevent, detect, treat and cure cancer. Also, Massey’s commitment to ensuring equal access to cancer care is deeply important to me.”

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Support from the Richmond community and Massey’s National Cancer Institute designation were also important factors for Dr. Winn, who hopes to build off the cancer center’s momentum and focus on the effort to achieve comprehensive status, which is the top designation from the National Cancer Institute. “It’s hard to follow in Dr. Gordon Ginder’s footsteps,” Dr. Winn said. “He has built a wonderful foundation. For me, coming in, I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world. All the things you need to do outstanding care, research and training, we’ve been doing over the years. My goal is to bring a bench-to-community and a community-to-bench model here to Massey. We understand that taking our care and value to the next level will require getting out in the community to educate residents and inform our research and discovery at the same time.” If you would like to learn more about VCU Massey Cancer Center’s lifesaving work and strategic priorities, contact Martha Quinn, executive director of development for Massey, at 804-827-0652, or mquinn3@vcu.edu. ●

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A Love Note to the MCV Campus

Ross Mackenzie embraces his wife Ginni at their home in Richmond. Photos: Eric Peters

R OSS MACKENZIE is a retired syndicated columnist who served for 38 years as editor of the editorial pages at The Richmond News Leader and Richmond Times-Dispatch. In 1989, he was diagnosed with lymphoma in the first of two bouts with the disease. In both fights for his life, Ross used his column to offer an insiderâ€™s view of cancer and give inspiration to others who were being treated. Throughout his journey, Ross walked alongside invaluable allies from across the MCV Campus and VCU Massey Cancer Center. And on the 30th anniversary of his first diagnosis, he

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decided to pen a letter to the people and the institution that saved his life two times over. Always having enjoyed a long drive to help him think, Ross set out from Richmond for his cabin in Michigan in spring 2019. In the evenings along the way, at hotels and other stopovers, the longtime newspaperman sorted, wrote, edited and refined the words he wanted to share with the MCV Campus. Those words came together in the moving love letter on the following pages.

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Ross Mackenzie reads the love note he penned to the MCV Campus commemorating the 30th anniversary of his first cancer diagnosis. With the help of physicians, nurses and others who trained and worked on campus, the longtime newspaperman beat cancer twice.

This is a love note … Thirty years ago (remember that number: we’ll come back to it) I put the afternoon News Leader editorial pages to bed (first-edition deadline 10:20 a.m.) and went to play noontime handball. At 2:00 I had a routine physical at McGuire Clinic on Parham Road with my internist — MCV-trained Hilton Almond. Toward the end of that physical, as Dr. Almond pressed around my upper abdomen, he said: “You’re not pregnant, are you?” “Not at last check,” I said. And he said: “I think you need to go downstairs for a CAT scan.” He was suspicious of something he was feeling near my spleen; he was thinking possible lymphoma. The scan and a subsequent biopsy confirmed it. That was 1989. I was 48. Thus began the battle of my life. What made victory possible — to the extent one can deploy the word victory regarding cancer — were three things: a benevolent Lord, an angelic wife and stellar American medicine — particularly as practiced at MCV. ***** Following the biopsy, a desperate call went out to Whitey Robertson (MCV 1964), a thoracic surgeon and across-the-meadow Goochland neighbor. “What should I do?” I said. “Where should I go?” “You need to see Walter Lawrence,” he said. “I’ll give him a call.” That evening Dr. Lawrence came by the McGuire hospital room where I was recovering from the biopsy, read my charts, and pronounced me “a lucky guy.”

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“You’re lucky to be living now,” he said, “because for years we operated on lymphomas and in every case the surgery failed. Then we got smart and concluded we couldn’t treat lymphomas surgically, and we started using chemotherapy. You’re going to do fine.” For my wife and me in that vale of tears, the notions of “lucky” and doing “fine” were difficult to process let alone embrace. But he proved right. And over the years wonderful Walter Lawrence, who felt himself greatly dubious about some of the pieces I wrote in The News Leader and Times-Dispatch, delighted in sending letters to the editor saying I couldn’t possibly have been serious in saying the outrageous things I wrote in such-and-such an editorial or column — and I delighted in publishing them. Founding director of the Massey Cancer Center and a past president of the American Cancer Society (and a fellow Chicagoan), Dr. Lawrence dispatched my wife and me to Sloan-Kettering for a second opinion from Vincent DeVita, the Julia Childs of chemo recipes that had put Hodgkin’s Disease into oh, the 96 percent cure-zone. (My cancer was the related non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — NHL; the thinking then was that patients with NHL had maybe a 50 percent chance of getting out of it alive). Dr. DeVita confirmed the diagnosis and said the smart thing (living as we did in Richmond) would be to be treated at MCV, which — he said — boasted some of the nation’s premier lymphoma physicians. I signed on with Craig Howe, under whose direction beginning in late 1989 I had six cycles of promace-cytabom — followed (after a June break in 1990) by six weeks of radiation of the principal site directed by Rupert Schmidt-Ulrich.

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All that worked spectacularly. Remission came by cycle three; I completed the remaining three cycles and took the full regimen of radiation. With the lymphoma knocked back, Dr. Howe suggested drawing and banking my bone marrow — the better to repel the lymphoma orcs should they try to take me out again. There was no follow-on therapy. I resumed handball and writing pieces that bobbled the cocktails of — among others — Walter Lawrence. ***** Ten years later, in 1999, we had a revisit. Craig Howe had gone to Rochester and the National Marrow Donor Bank. This time my doctor was Saul Yanovich, who prescribed CHOP (A chemotherapy regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin hydrochloride, vincristine and prednisone) interspersed with Rituxan — and then two years of Rituxan at six-month intervals. All that did the trick again; he deemed radiation unnecessary. Prior to moving to Georgetown and subsequently to the University of Maryland, Dr. Yanovich handed me off to Harold Chung. Dr. Chung has followed me for the past 17 years — without any maintenance therapy but with scans and blood-draws and a generous blend of wisdom, verity and light. I may be biased, but I think (no, I know) he and Drs. Almond, Robertson, Lawrence, Howe and Yanovich are as good as doctors get. ***** Tie-back: This love note is occasioned by the 30-year anniversary of my initial diagnosis. My journey began with the MCV-refined instinct of Hilton Almond and flowed through Whitey Robertson and Walter Lawrence to the informed and scrupulous monitoring of Harold Chung. Along the way there were countless other MCV physicians, clinicians and steadfast healing nurses — such as nurses Brenda and Lynn during cancer No. 1, and Patricia and Angela during cancer No. 2. Without that full cavalry riding to the rescue — and without, let’s see: North Hospital, Dalton Clinic,

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Radiation Oncology, the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Massey and the Stony Point Clinic — no further dreams in the script would have come true. I wouldn’t have known the past trifecta of decades — nor the joys those 30 years have contained. None of our sons’ college years and careers, none of their marriages and children, none of the life my wife and I have lived holding hands — none of her wind-rush beneath my wings. No sunsets or moonrises. No crashing surf, no riffling creeks, no breezes soughing in the birches and pines. No getting lost in books at night; no waking in the morning and refusing to let the old man in. No learning from our Labrador how to roll on one’s back in life like a happy dog. Thirty (or indeed 20) years ago, what remained would have been buried or sprinkled — and that would have been that. All else never would have existed or happened. None of it — just as for the World War I farmer become soldier lost in France and memorialized by Ernest Rhys: He had the ploughman’s strength in the grasp of his hand. He could see a crow three miles away. He could hear the green oats growing and the southwest wind making rain. He could make a gate and dig a ditch and plough as straight as a stone can fall. And he is dead. So: Thank you, American medicine. Thank you, especially, MCV medicine — doctors and nurses and clinicians all. You gave me — you life-saviors made possible — my past 30 years. God bless you. Or, to borrow the compelling acronym used by American POWs to tap life-breathing messages through the walls of Hanoi’s charnel houses, GBU. Mere appreciation doesn’t cut it, nor gratitude. This…this is love. — Ross Mackenzie To see a video of Ross Mackenzie reading his note to the MCV Campus, visit www.MCVFoundation.org/ LoveLetter. ●

Adult Outpatient Pavilion Scheduled to Open in 2021

Renderings courtesy of HDR and Hourigan Construction

THE LAR GEST construction project in VCU Health’s history is emerging from the ground at the intersection of Leigh and 10th streets on the MCV Campus. Set to open in 2021, the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion represents a milestone in VCU Health’s path to becoming the premier academic health center on the East Coast. The 16-story, 603,000-square-foot, $371 million building will consolidate adult outpatient services that are currently spread across the Dalton, Nelson and Gateway clinics and the Ambulatory Care Center. The building will comprise VCU Massey Cancer Center clinics, VCU Health’s specialty clinics and fully integrated dental clinics, as well as collaborative spaces for research and teaching. Patients will have access to more than 1,000 parking spaces, improving their experience and easing pedestrian and vehicle volume in the area. The total cost of the Adult Outpatient Pavilion and three additional MCV Campus construction projects planned

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through 2027 will be $2.2 billion, and $250 million in philanthropic funding is needed to complete them. “This facility is going to be something truly unique and special for the people of Virginia and beyond. Through a collective community spirit and the sum of many contributions making one great whole, we can meet the philanthropic need to see this through to reality,” said Peter Buckley, M.D., interim vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health System. “In doing so, we’re creating a world-class facility for our world-class healthcare providers.” If you are interested in opportunities to support the transformative clinical care, research or education that will occur in this state-of-the-art building, contact Payton Hardinge, VCU Health’s associate director, strategic initiatives, at 804-828-3407 or payton.hardinge@vcuhealth.org. ●

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Women & Wellness Celebrates 25 Years of Supporting Cancer Research and Education

Community members enjoy a reception during the 25th annual Women & Wellness Signature Breakfast and Luncheon. The event has raised more than $5 million to support women’s cancer research over the years. Event photos courtesy of VCU Massey Cancer Center

Community volunteers have made Women & Wellness successful. Members of the legacy committee pose with Deborah Norville (front row on the left) during this year’s event at The Jefferson Hotel.

SINCE it was established in 1996, the Women & Wellness Signature Breakfast and Luncheon quickly became a cornerstone of philanthropic engagement in the Richmond area. Behind the event’s success has been a group of dedicated volunteer leaders whose passion is ensuring VCU Massey Cancer Center’s expertise and resources are showcased and advanced in the community. “That’s why it’s had such longevity,” said Julie Fritz, an early volunteer for the event. “It really was driven by the community with the perfect partner in Massey.” Julie owned a marketing consulting firm and connected to the effort through Adrienne Maxwell, a founder of Women & Wellness.

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Adrienne Maxwell:

Creating an Inspiring Legacy The series educates women on healthcare options in Richmond and raises funds to support women’s cancer research. Women & Wellness brings the community together for an inspiring day of education, empowerment, connection and celebration of survivorship, which has made it into a beloved annual tradition at The Jefferson Hotel. “What I’ve noticed most is how much it has grown,” said Julie, who recently moved back to the Richmond area after 20 years away. “It’s grown not just in the fundraising aspect but also in its passion and ability to make a difference throughout the community. I think there are people being treated at Massey today who would never have thought to go there were it not for this event.” Women & Wellness has raised more than $5 million for women’s cancer research, inspired thousands of attendees and welcomed well-known keynote speakers, including Joan Lunden, Samantha Harris and this year’s speaker, Inside Edition anchor Deborah Norville, a cancer survivor herself. The impact has been widespread, providing funding to support innovative research in women’s cancers. This year’s event celebrated the power of a community coming together, and organizers look forward to seeing how this tradition evolves to continue the important role of education and community-based support for Massey. If you would like to learn more about how you can become involved in the lifesaving work happening at VCU Massey Cancer Center, contact Martha Quinn, 804-827-0652, or mquinn3@vcu.edu. ●

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Adrienne Maxwell helped create the vision for Women & Wellness. A stalwart supporter, she hopes community members are inspired to support VCU Massey Cancer Center. Photo: Paul Brockwell Jr.

he Women & Wellness series shows the power of a small group of people coming together for a common cause. When Adrienne Maxwell joined VCU Massey Cancer Center’s

Community Advisory Board in 1991, E. Morgan Massey was building the vision of what VCU’s cancer center could be. At the time, the average Richmonder may not have known about the lifesaving research and care happening in their own backyard. That has thankfully changed through events like Women & Wellness.

Within a few years of joining the board, Adrienne marshaled volunteers

to increase community awareness and support of Massey. Her event idea, the Women & Wellness series, sold out in a week the first year. It’s only grown since then, and Adrienne is quick to share the credit. “It was a testament to women helping other women,” Adrienne said. “Yes, I can be called a founder, but I consider everyone a part of the founding group. Many women have worked on making this luncheon’s success possible over 25 years, and no one can do anything alone.”

This year Adrienne made two special gifts she hopes will inspire others

to give as they are able.

“For 25 years I’ve been asking people to be on the committee, to give

money, to work hard to sell tickets, so I felt I should make a $25,000 gift for this special anniversary.” Adrienne also established a charitable gift annuity through the MCV Foundation to provide support for Massey.

“I was brought up with the idea that you do have a responsibility to help

other people,” Adrienne said. “Medical research really fits that bill because those discoveries can help everyone and make a vast difference.” ●

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Alumni Couple Spreads Giving Across Campus

JAS ON PAIGE, D.D.S., a VCU School of Dentistry graduate, remembers the conversation well. He and his wife Jamelle Paige, D.P.T., who is a graduate of the College of Health Professions Department of Physical Therapy, had just left a dinner celebrating the fulfillment of their $5,000 pledge to the dental school. The gift supported a scholarship named for former dentistry faculty member Francis M. Foster Sr., D.D.S., and ideas for additional gifts had already begun to surface and circulate between the two when Jamelle presented a different, yet parallel path. “I’m inclined to give to physical therapy this time around,” she told Jason. In hindsight, it was an obvious next move for the couple who graduated the same year — 2006 — from their respective schools, but it just hadn’t occurred to them at the time. Jason had been heavily involved in dentistry-related events, mentoring programs and student activities, and Jamelle said she wanted to reconnect with the Department of Physical Therapy, especially by helping students. “I didn’t want students to have to reach a point of saying, ‘I need a certain amount of money to stay in school,’” she told us recently. “I’ve been very happy with my career as a physical therapist. I wouldn’t want anyone to not fulfill that dream because of a monetary piece.” Jason can identify, as student financial burden is one of the main reasons he’s been inspired to give. “When you get into a professional school, so many people will say you chose such a great profession, and to not worry

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about the debt,” he said. “But I don’t know anyone who doesn’t worry about the debt, or it doesn’t take up some space in the back of their mind. And especially for students from underrepresented minority groups, it might deter them from applying in the first place. I know the scholarship won’t pay for the entire education, but hopefully it will alleviate some of that stress.” In most academic units on campus, $25,000 is needed to endow a scholarship, and thanks to many grateful students and friends, the Dr. Frances Foster/SNDA Scholarship to which Jason and Jamelle first donated has been endowed for several years. The approach they’re taking at the Department of Physical Therapy is different. In this case, they’re the first to donate to a scholarship that is yet unnamed. They wanted to be the ones who plant a seed for students in that department where Jamelle says she wants to see more opportunities for scholarships. “We aren’t giving a large donation, but hopefully it will turn into something that will grow,” Jamelle said. “It’s $5,000 over five years. It’s a start, and with other people joining in to help us get to $25,000 to establish an endowment, it will be something that grows.” If you are interested in supporting the scholarship that Jason and Jamelle established for physical therapy students, contact Trevor Worden, leadership engagement officer at the College of Health Professions, at 804-828-1357 or taworden@vcu.edu. ●

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Jason and Jamelle Paige, who are both MCV Campus alumni, stand together in the atrium of the new College of Health Professions building. In the past, the couple has given to the School of Dentistry where Jason is an alumnus. They have recently decided to support the physical therapy department at the college, which is where Jamelle is an alumna. Photo: Kevin Schindler

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Pharmacy Alumni Honor Beloved Professor with Scholarship

Jürgen Venitz, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of pharmaceutics at the VCU School of Pharmacy, smiles during a series of heartfelt alumni video messages played during the school’s annual Research and Career Day, where more than two dozen alumni announced gifts to fund an endowed scholarship that honors his many years of mentoring pharmacy graduate students. Photos: Danny Tiet, VCU School of Pharmacy

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THE MOST surprising part of the VCU School of Pharmacy’s annual Research and Career Day came after the presentations and networking between students and alumni. That’s when supporters announced a new scholarship named in honor of Jürgen Venitz, M.D., Ph.D., a longtime and beloved faculty member. Around 50 alumni returned to the MCV Campus for the event, and many came back to celebrate and honor Dr. Venitz, who joined the faculty in 1988. The newly established Jürgen Venitz Scholarship will support pharmacy students in the dual Pharm.D./Ph.D. program. Scholarship support for students in this seven-year track is essential for attracting some of the brightest minds to the MCV Campus. Sue Learned, a 1997 Pharm.D./Ph.D. alumna, made a lead gift toward establishing the scholarship to honor Dr. Venitz’s years of faculty mentorship.

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Students and alumni gave a standing ovation to Jürgen Venitz, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutics at the VCU School of Pharmacy. At last count, alumni from around the world made 30 gifts to endow a scholarship in honor of his mentorship. Dr. Venitz shared his heartfelt thanks during remarks at the school’s annual Research and Career Day.

“Dr. Venitz has been such an important mentor, inspiration and role model for my career,” Dr. Learned said. “When I first met him during my graduate school interview at MCV, I immediately knew that I wanted to work with and learn from him. His description of what a clinician scientist could do across different practice settings was exactly what I was looking for, and from that first interaction, I knew he was brilliant and was likely going to be the best career teacher and mentor I would ever have.” Dr. Learned’s admiration for Dr. Venitz is shared by many around the world. Gifts flowed in from Taiwan and Jordan to support the scholarship fund, which had amassed more than $70,000 from 30 donors at last check. A record number of alumni flew in from California, Oregon and Canada to attend the annual event on campus. Many more shared favorite stories about Dr. Venitz. “I was humbled and touched,” Dr. Venitz said. “I was very emotional. I never expected this. One of the main reasons why I joined and stayed in academia was the ability to teach

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— including mentoring. All the little things that you do to help students figure out what to do career wise.” Dr. Venitz has inspired many students over his decades of teaching and mentorship. His relationships with so many School of Pharmacy alumni have also inspired a significant number of first-time gifts. “The scholarship is in honor of Dr. J and his achievements, so how could I not?” said Dr. Vanitha Sekar, a 1995 Ph.D. alumna. “It was spearheaded by one of my favorite graduate student colleagues Susan Learned. Both are wonderful people and great scientists and have done so much to make the Pharm.D./Ph.D. program one of the best in the country. These kinds of scholarships provide access to groups of students who may be otherwise unable to attend graduate school.” If you would like to honor Dr. Venitz with a contribution to the scholarship created in his name, please contact Louie Correa, senior director of development at the VCU School of Pharmacy, at lacorrea@vcu.edu, or by calling 804-828-3016. ●

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Nursing Alumna Pays It Forward Through Scholarship

VCU Health has been Trish Bernal’s professional home during her career as a nurse. She graduated from the VCU School of Nursing’s RN to B.S. program and later earned a master’s degree while working. Today she is semi-retired and walks to work from her home in Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood. Photo: Paul Brockwell Jr.

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TRISH BERNAL considers herself very fortunate, and her career working at VCU Health on the MCV Campus has been an important part of her success. “In 1978, I was a newly divorced, single mom with a two-year degree,” Trish said. “I chose to work at MCV specifically because they had a wonderful program where I could go back and get my bachelor’s degree and they would support me through that. That was very important for me then, and it’s still important to me now.”

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Trish, who is semi-retired, walks to work at VCU Health from her home in Church Hill. She’s worked at the health system since 1978, winning awards for her service and continuing to grow and thrive as a professional. “I went back to school later and got my master’s degree, and that’s when I started getting more involved with the alumni association,” Trish said. She remains proud of the education she received at VCU and has served on several alumni boards associated with the MCV Campus, including as chair of the nursing division and on the board of the MCV Alumni Association. In 2014, she received the MCVAA’s Hodges-Kay Service Award in honor of her volunteering. To pay it forward, Trish also created a student scholarship to enable future generations of nursing professionals to go back to school and advance their careers at VCU Health. She has listed the MCV Foundation as a beneficiary designation in her estate plans to ensure the scholarship can provide support for generations to come. “What inspired me to set up the scholarship fund was my journey,” Trish said. “Later when I was rewriting my will, I wanted to include the foundation in my estate, and my lawyer suggested that I consider a beneficiary designation.” The process, she said, was incredibly easy. It involved a simple form and a conversation with her financial advisor. “MCV and VCU have been really good to me over the years,” Trish said. “I received a

fabulous education, enjoyed a 40-plus year career and am financially stable, and I wanted to make sure that I can give back in this way so that other nurses can have the opportunity to go back to school and continue their careers.” If you would like to learn about opportunities to ensure scholarship support for aspiring healthcare professionals on the MCV Campus, contact Pamela Lowe, senior director of development at the VCU School of Nursing, at 804-827-0020 or plowe@ vcu.edu. ●

Trish Bernal, RN, at her pinning ceremony early in her career. Being able to earn her B.S. degree while working as an RN for the health system made a huge difference for her personal and professional goals. Photo courtesy of Trish Bernal

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Honoring Excellent Patient Service at VCU Health

In 2013, Denise Lynch, RN, Dan Schmidt, Jess Schmidt and Sandy Schmidt celebrate the Schmidt familyâ€™s pledge to establish a service award for VCU Health employees in honor of Denise and the care she coordinated for Dan. Denise leads the Access, Support and Assistance Program (ASAP) that helps patients navigate the VCU Health System. Photo: VCU University Marketing

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“She took one of the most complicated patients there could be, and she put together a team of doctors and nurses and others to work together.”

ON THE DAY in April 2011 when VCU Health nurse Denise Lynch walked into Dan Schmidt’s patient room in North Hospital, she did not receive a warm welcome. “We had had a pretty long road before we got to VCU Health,” Dan’s daughter Jess said recently. “I was having a particularly awful day, and Denise walked into a situation facing a lot of hostility, but she still figured out how to help us.” Dan was a particularly complicated case and had arrived on the MCV Campus after being in multiple leading hospitals and rehab facilities up and down the East Coast. Challenges he had already faced, and those that were still to come during the next several years, included multiple cerebral hemorrhages, an aneurysm, a stroke, a heart attack, hydrocephalus and glioblastoma. Further complicating Dan’s care, he demonstrated unique and unexpected reactions to many medications and conditions, so his treatment needed to be carefully coordinated.

Larger Than Life Care for a Larger Than Life Person Dan was a towering figure. Not only physically — he was 6’6” tall — but in his community as well. As a financial consultant in Charlottesville, he mentored young people in the field and served his clients in many ways beyond financial consulting. “He really enjoyed his clients. He took being an important person in their lives very specially,” Jess said. “He had a client who he took to dialysis all the time. He had a client who he helped around the house

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– Sandy Schmidt

for a couple weeks when she needed it. He just really dug people.” Just as Dan went above and beyond for his colleagues and clients, it was apparent that he would need special attention as a patient, and that is why Denise became such an important person in the Schmidts’ lives. She leads the Access, Support and Assistance Program (ASAP) that helps patients navigate the VCU Health System. “We had a strange beginning with Denise, but she stuck with us,” said Dan’s wife Sandy. “She took one of the most complicated patients there could be, and she put together a team of doctors and nurses and others to work together. She coordinated his care, and she would be there every time we went to the emergency department, which was maybe 100 times over seven years.” Sandy and Jess also credit Drs. Harry Young in the Department of Neurosurgery, Michael Stevens in the Division of Infections Disease, Harinder Dhindsa in the Division of Emergency Medical Services and Vikram Brar in the Department of Ophthalmology, as well as hospital clinical administrator Steve Rasmussen, RN, for giving Dan the special attention he needed. “We had a wonderful group of physicians that went way beyond the call to help us because they saw the complicated case in front of them,” Sandy said.

A Decision to Give Sandy, whose research as a professor at U.Va. focused on customer satisfaction, recognized superior service when she saw it. In 2013 she made the decision, along

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with Dan and Jess, to recognize Denise by funding an endowment that would honor and encourage exemplary service across VCU Health. “We set it up so every year somebody would be nominated to receive the Service Excellence Award in honor of Denise Lynch, who exemplified extraordinary service to patients,” she said. “We wanted to reach the entire hospital to say, ‘This is who you should emulate.’ Denise is somebody who everyone should aspire to be like.” In 2019, about one year after Dan died, VCU Health announced the award’s first recipient: Erin Davis.

Recognizing Excellent Service Erin, who works in the palliative care program at VCU Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, helps patients and families navigate death. She once worked with a father battling terminal cancer who expressed concern that his two young children would not remember him after he died. In response, Erin bought two teddy bears that could record a voice message and worked with the patient to find the words for his final gift. Erin has watched providers struggle to discuss final wishes with families, and she has listened to patients who do not understand their options when planning their end-of-life care. She developed a nurse-led palliative care approach that collaborates with other hospital departments to increase the resources available to meet the complex needs of patients navigating end of life. “When we met Erin, we couldn’t have been more pleased with the decision to give her the award,” Sandy said. “She told us that this work just needed to be done.” “That was the Denise way and the way of our other practitioners,” Jess added. “And that’s what my parents did in their lives. My mom did it as a professor with her colleagues and students, and my dad did it with his clients and peers. They are people who would do extraordinary things because they just need to be done.”

Erin Davis, RN, is the first recipient of the Service Excellence Award in honor of Denise Lynch. She developed a nurse-led palliative care approach to increase the resources available to meet the complex needs of patients navigating end of life. Photo: Thomas Kojcsich, VCU University Marketing

VCU Health plans to announce the next Service Excellence Award recipient this summer. If you or a loved one have experienced exceptional care at VCU Health and would like to support this award, or if you would like to give elsewhere on campus in honor of a VCU Health team member, contact Leslie Stewart, a VCU Health senior major gift officer, at 804-828-3291 or leslie.stewart@vcuhealth.org. ●

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$10K Supporting Sickle Cell Research

Robert Scott Jr., M.D., Florence Neal Cooper Smith, and Walley Smith, M.D., reunite at the MCV Foundation in 2016. In the 1970s, Dr. Scott and Florence worked together to establish one of the original 19 federally funded sickle cell anemia screening clinics. Today, Dr. Smith holds the endowed professorship named for Florence. Photo: Kevin Schindler

IN DECEMBER, the Florence Neal Cooper Smith Professorship received its largest donation to date. The Helen I. Graham Charitable Foundation provided a $10,000 grant to support the professorship, which was established in 2014 to foster research leading to new treatments and a cure for sickle cell disease. Florence Neal Cooper Smith has been a leader in sickle cell disease advocacy and awareness since the 1960s. Her early work included co-founding the Virginia Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Program on the MCV Campus, which in 1972 became one of the original 19 federally funded sickle cell anemia screening clinics. It was the first in the state.

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Her work continues today through the professorship named in her honor. Wally Smith, M.D., has held the professorship since it was established. He is the scientific director of the VCU Health Center on Health Disparities and the director of the VCU Health Adult Sickle Cell Program. Dr. Smith and his team have conducted clinical trials alongside centers across the nation, helping make available to patients some of the first drugs ever approved for sickle cell treatment in the U.S. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder that affects 70,000â€“100,000 Americans, the majority of whom are African American or Hispanic. People who have it produce abnormal red blood cells that can block blood vessels, leading to organ damage, severe episodes of pain and other lifelong complications. In addition, about 2.5 million Americans carry the sickle cell trait, which usually does not cause symptoms, but means those who carry it could pass along sickle cell disease to their children. Florence led the effort to raise more than $250,000 to endow the professorship and continues to work tirelessly raising awareness and funds to support work at VCU Health. The endowment now totals more than $400,000, and the goal of Dr. Smith, Florence and others is to grow it to $1 million, thus elevating it to an endowed chair. If you are interested in supporting continued advancements in treatment and research, reducing the number of those who suffer, and finding a cure, contact Brian Thomas, MCV Foundation vice president and chief development officer, at 804-828-0067 or brian.thomas@vcuhealth.org. â—?

To see a short documentary film about the early sickle cell advocacy that Florence Neal Cooper Smith and others began in Richmond, visit www. MCVFoundation.org/ sicklecell. The film premiered in 2015 and was screened at the Virginia Film Festival. It is directed by Derrick Perry, who has since received several awards for his work in filmmaking.

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Nursing Scholarships Nearly Doubled with New Conway Gift

Students work in a simulation lab at VCU School of Nursing. A combined $5.5 million gift from William E. Conway Jr. and his wife Joanne will allow the VCU School of Nursing to provide partial and full scholarships to one-third of its undergraduate students. Photo: Jay Paul

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A NEW $3 million gift, combined with a $2.5 million commitment from last year, will allow the VCU School of Nursing to nearly double the number of need-based scholarships for undergraduate students. Philanthropists William E. Conway Jr., co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife Joanne, provided both gifts to support the schoolâ€™s efforts to address the nursing workforce shortage.

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“VCU has an excellent record in The nationwide nursing shortage in the U.S. is expected to intensify as more people retire from the profession and the need for healthcare grows. Many schools are struggling to expand capacity to meet the demand for more skilled nurses, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects around 200,000 new registered nurses will be needed each year through 2026 to fill new positions and replace retiring professionals. “We decided to support VCU School of Nursing because we were seeking to provide nursing scholarships to qualified students in our area,” William Conway said. “VCU has an excellent record in educating nurses and was highly recommended by other nursing leaders. We decided to double the amount of our scholarships because we are impressed with VCU’s commitment to educating more students to become nurses.” William and Joanne Conway have donated millions of dollars in support of nursing scholarships, as well as training and mentoring of faculty at schools of nursing in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Approximately 72% of the School of Nursing’s 455 undergraduate students qualify for need-based scholarships. Last fall, 84 undergraduate students received a scholarship from the Conways’ initial gift. With the additional gift, to be disbursed over five years, the school will be able to offer partial and full scholarships to more than a third of its

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undergraduate students — about 150 students per year. The scholarships will be available for financially eligible students enrolled in the traditional B.S., accelerated B.S. and RN to B.S. programs, including those who are co-enrolled in nursing programs at Southside Virginia, Rappahannock and John Tyler community colleges. In addition, two full scholarships will support B.S. to Ph.D. students interested in careers as faculty. “Scholarships have a significant impact on the school’s ability to help more students graduate into the nursing profession,” said Jean Giddens, Ph.D., professor and dean of the School of Nursing. “We are very grateful for the Conways’ investment in our school and are pleased to be able to reduce the financial burdens of more students preparing to enter the nursing workforce.” If you are interested in learning how you can support scholarships for nursing professionals by contributing to existing scholarship funds or creating new ones, contact Pamela Lowe, senior director of development at the VCU School of Nursing, at 804-827-0020 or plowe@ vcu.edu. ●

educating nurses and was highly recommended by other nursing leaders. We decided to double the amount of our scholarships because we are impressed with VCU’s commitment to educating more students to become nurses.” – William Conway

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How Scholarships are Launching the Top Docs of Tomorrow

AS EVERYONE adjusts to a renewed focus on health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, educating the healthcare professionals of tomorrow remains a critical mission across the MCV Campus. We are proud of the way our faculty and students have adapted in order to continue their education, research and training. We honor and thank all of the healthcare professionals across VCU Health who are serving on the front lines

during this health crisis. During this extraordinary time, we want to keep you updated with stories of hope and resilience occurring across VCU Health. Below we show the impact scholarships have made on two School of Medicine students and an alumna. They represent our best and brightest — the top docs and future heroes of tomorrow.

Brothers in Arms and Medicine Service to others is familiar territory for brothers Alex and Chris Pais. Following in their father’s and grandfathers’ military footsteps, both have been deployed to the Middle East — Alex with the Marines and Chris with the Army National Guard. “My time in the military helped me in so many

ways,” said Alex, VCU School of Medicine Class of 2021. “It instilled in me the work ethic to keep going, even when things get hard.” The brothers are also following in the medical footsteps of their mother, Jane Pais, who served her community as a registered nurse. When Chris returned from an overseas deployment in 2011, the brothers received the devastating news that their mother had stage IV ovarian cancer. The family came together in Virginia and rallied around Jane to support her through her treatment. “Her illness planted a seed in my mind, and when we told her our plan for medical school, she was so excited,” Alex said. Jane Pais passed away in November 2018, but she is a daily inspiration to Alex and Chris, who continue to honor her through their work. “I often think about my mom and how long the physicians had to train to provide the best care for her. I want to have the same impact they had on me,” said Chris, Class of 2022. Alex and Chris hope to become surgeons and serve military veterans. Their training has been buoyed by two scholarship awards — the Fred and Rose Shaia Family Scholarship awarded to Alex and the Ellen A. Holiman Endowed Scholarship awarded to Chris.

Photo: Skip Rowland Photography

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Bringing Big Dreams to Life Growing up in rural Dinwiddie County, Va., Dr. Denée Moore saw firsthand how family practitioners could positively impact an underserved community. “I was maybe 2 years old when I would use my Fisher-Price doctor’s kit to listen to my great-grandfather’s heartbeat and check his reflexes,” said Dr. Moore. “I couldn’t imagine a better life than caring for the people around you.”

Dr. Moore has brought her dream to fruition. Having completed both her medical degree (2013) and residency training (2016) with VCU School of Medicine, she now serves as an attending physician and clinical lead at Central Virginia Health Services — Charlottesville. Providing prenatal care is one of the most enjoyable parts of her job, and Dr. Moore goes an extra step for her youngest patients. She knits hats as welcome gifts for newborn babies. Knitting sharpens her fine motors skills and allows her to see the whole patient — all good things for a family medicine physician. But the main reason, she said, is because “I wanted to do something special for them.” Dr. Moore does a lot of special things to help the people in her community. She mentors VCU students in the Family Medicine Scholars Training and Admission Track. She also remembers how important scholarships were during her medical training, and has chosen to support the Jean L. Harris, M.D., Scholarship and Lillian H. and Steward R. Moore Scholarship — two scholarships she received as a student that helped her become the doctor she is today.

Photo: Allen Jones, VCU University Relations

1838 Scholarship Campaign Draws to a Close VCU School of Medicine established the 1838 Scholarship Campaign in honor of the year the school and entire university was founded. This $25-million campaign is building the medical school’s endowment, with all of the money raised going toward scholarships. The campaign closes June 30, 2020.

Today, the dream of a career in caring for others often comes with a heavy burden of debt. Our

Class of 2019 graduated 210 doctors, and three-quarters of them had an average debt of $204,059.

You can be a part of training the Top Docs of tomorrow. Please consider making a gift online

at www.support.vcu.edu/give/1838 or contact Amy Lane, Ph.D., director of major gifts at the VCU School of Medicine, at 804-827-4937 or amy.lane@vcuhealth.org. ●

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