For ffty years, our vision for a future Te Massey 5Oth Anniversary without the burden of cancer has driven
everything we do. Everything.
– Robert A. Winn, M.D.
GOLDEN GALA
Lighting the path of hope toward a brighter future. Together.
Fifty years of innovation and impact in the fght against cancer is something to celebrate. And, we are celebrating!
Dear friends,
For ffty years, the power of hope has driven Massey’s mission across generations, shaping its past, defning its present and guiding its future. Since opening its doors in 1974, Massey has been restoring hope for patients, families and entire communities.
Today, Massey stands among the nation’s elite cancer centers, recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a leader in the fght against cancer.
Te ginkgo tree is our chosen symbol of the Golden Gala. Tis magnifcent tree has long represented hope, strength and resilience – qualities that resonate with the many people who are the reason we celebrate ffty years of saving lives. We all dream of a future when cancer will be eradicated, not just from the body, but from the human spirit, when we can rest easy knowing the next generation will not have to live with the same fears that we do today.
Our sincere gratitude goes out to our Golden Gala honorary chairs, to the Massey family, to the hardworking members of our committee and to the medical professionals who give us purpose. We are honored to co-chair
Te Massey 50th Anniversary Golden Gala and to celebrate with each of you the incredible power of our community – where doctors, donors, researchers, patients, caregivers and volunteers are lighting the path of hope to a brighter future. Together.
Ellen and Jim Bonbright
Patricia and David Lyons
Te Massey 50th Anniversary Golden Gala, co-chairs
we are proud to welcome
EVENING
HONORED GUESTS
best-selling writer, Emmy Awardwinning journalist and cancer survivor
Suleika Jaouad and her husband
Grammy Award-winning musician
Jon Batiste
Sometimes it is in our darkest moments that we fnd the light.
– Suleika Jaouad
Suleika Jaouad’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, shares her transformative journey toward healing following a leukemia diagnosis in her 20s. Jon Batiste is a fve-time Grammy Award-winning musician and composer whose vibrant musical heritage captivates audiences worldwide. In the 2024 documentary, “American Symphony,” the couple chronicles a year of extremes that includes a marriage ceremony, fve Grammy wins and a recurrence of Suleika’s cancer. Together, Jon and Suleika inspire others with their shared experiences of triumph, hope and perseverance – and a belief in the power of light to uplift.
6:30 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00
MENU
cocktails
Cheers to ffty years
dinner
Bon Appétit
program
Honoring our past
Becky Massey
Advisory Board Chair
Celebrating our present
Michael Rao, Ph.D.
VCU President
Envisioning our future
Robert A. Winn, M.D.
Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology
suleika jaouad & jon batiste
A story of light and hope live music
Provided by Elan Artists
dessert & coffee event concludes Fifty years and counting
FIRST COURSE
lobster & avocado salad
frisée, aflla cress, cucumber ribbons, fennel frond, dill, black caviar, charred shallots, radishes, avocado purée, mango purée, beet jelly
SECOND COURSE
thyme roasted beef tenderloin pressed leek, raclette ravioli, roasted heirloom carrots, café de paris butter, madeira trufe jus, pea purée
STROLLING
DESSERT
coffee & confections
cookie dough bonbons, salted caramel butter bars, petit fours,
5O YEARS
1974–2024
Since its earliest days, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center – formerly known as MCV/VCU Cancer Center and VCU Massey Cancer Center – has been at the forefront of cancer research, fueling innovation and a legacy for patient and community-centered care that extends far beyond central Virginia.
Dive into the cancer center’s rich, impactful history on these pages –and you can learn more at masseycancercenter.org/50years chocolate raspberry verrine, key lime pie, rocky road squares
Photograph by Jasmine Clarke
1974
VCU Board of Visitors votes to establish a formal cancer center on the MCV campus and names Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D., its founding director.
Te Cancer Rehabilitation Program launches under Susan Mellette, M.D.,
1975
Te center receives its initial designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), establishing it as a leader in the national fght against cancer. and goes on to become a national model for holistic care.
1988
Massey establishes the frst bone marrow transplant unit in Virginia.
1983
Te center is renamed VCU Massey Cancer Center in recognition of William E. Massey Sr. and the Massey family. A building dedicated to cancer research and treatment opens on the MCV campus.
1989
Te Rural Cancer Outreach Program is the frst of its kind to deliver expertise and a continuity of care to rural cancer patients.
1988
I. David Goldman, M.D. is appointed Massey director.
1990s
Massey participates in landmark national clinical trials including in prostate and breast cancer prevention and receives its frst NCI Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program grant, fueling its leadership in equity outreach.
2019
Robert A. Winn, M.D. is appointed director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at Massey.
1989
Te Massey Club annual leadership giving society is founded.
1997
Gordon D. Ginder, M.D., is appointed Massey director and builds the center’s scientifc base and support through philanthropy.
2006
Massey’s Goodwin Research Laboratory opens, adding critical laboratory space. Te building is funded through generous donors and the Campaign for Massey, with leadership support from William H. “Bill” and Alice Goodwin.
Facts & Faith Fridays launches.
2023
2021
VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion opens, providing a light and hope-flled space for cancer outpatient services.
Massey is awarded National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center designation, the NCI’s highest level of distinction.
Massey on the Move vans are deployed in urban and rural communities, providing cancer education to at-risk populations. 2020
2022
Massey becomes the frst cancer center in the region to ofer MRI-guided radiation therapy to target solid hard-to-treat tumors.
2023
Te Healing Space opens, ofering a place of respite for patients and families.
2023
2024
Massey celebrates ffty years of research, innovation and impact.
In 1983, William E. Massey Sr. and the Massey family made a transformational gift to expand and name the VCU Massey Cancer Center. For ffty years, philanthropic support from the Massey family and other generous donors has continued to propel our research and vision forward.
HONORING OUR PAST
a history of impact and innovation
For ffty years, Massey has contributed to the fght against cancer as a national center of impact.
– Gordon Ginder, M.D.
Even before its founding, Massey was an innovator in surgical oncology and an advocate for equitable access and care. Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D., the center’s founding director, was driven by an ethos of excellence and inclusion. Susan J. Mellette, M.D., a trailblazer as a woman in the feld of oncology, established one of the earliest holistic patient care programs in the nation. Massey’s early rural outreach initiative would become a national model.
For ffty years, Massey pioneered innovations in surgical oncology, palliative care, bone marrow transplantation and survivorship, among other areas. Massey researchers led and participated in national clinical trials, contributing to the discovery of novel drug therapies and bringing new treatments and care into the community. Te work of these and other Massey leaders would infuence national standards of care and set Massey on a path to a legacy of research excellence and inclusion that would endure.
It has been my great honor to watch Massey grow through the extraordinary generosity of others. We are one of the top cancer institutes in the nation today because of our donors.
– Becky Massey
Photos below:
E. Morgan Massey, Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D, William E. Massey Jr., 1988; Susan Mellette, M.D.
John F. Kennedy said, ‘We’re going to the moon, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.’
Tat’s what we’re doing here at VCU Massey.
– Robert A. Winn, M.D.
CELEBRATING OUR PRESENT
the intersection of science, health and community
Massey continues to drive innovation with an unwavering belief in the power of research. Massey celebrated its designation as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2023. Te Adult Outpatient Pavilion, opened in 2021, is elevating cancer care and treatment. Under director Robert A. Winn, M.D., Massey has expanded team science grants and national collaborations, emerging as a leader in health equity and in building community trust. Massey researchers continue to be on the cutting edge, driving new drug discoveries through initiatives like Molecules to Medicine and moving them from the bench to the community.
Massey today is at the intersection of science, health and community – driving cancer research with a local focus and a global impact.
Massey has elevated more than cancer treatment and patient care. Te work being done here has elevated VCU on a national scale.
Tere is no question about the Massey impact.
–Michael Rao, Ph.D., VCU President
Leaders from Massey, VCU and VCU Health, along with the Commonwealth of Virginia, celebrate the center’s NCI Comprehensive designation in 2023.
It’s been wonderful to see the progress Massey has made in allowing patients to be treated and followed where they live and work. Tat makes all the diference.
– I. David Goldman, M.D.
ENVISIONING OUR FUTURE
global impact, local healing
Research drives discovery, and discovery creates impact. By translating today’s research into tomorrow’s advancements in cancer prevention, detection and treatment, Massey is shaping the future. With NCI Comprehensive designation, Massey is poised to continue driving medical advances through high-impact clinical trials and bringing new innovations to patients and into our communities to ensure access to the latest treatments and information – for everyone.
Tis is Massey’s vision for the future.
Imagine a world in which we’re not only treating people with cancer, we’re healing them.
– Saïd Sebti, Ph.D., Associate Director
for Basic Research and Lacy Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
In celebration of Massey’s golden anniversary, Becky Massey, a longtime Massey advocate and cancer survivor, spoke with Robert A. Winn, M.D., Massey Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, about the center’s past, present and vision for the future.
Dr. Winn, what does celebrating ffty years of Massey mean to you?
Massey’s 50th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate our past while building hope for the future. Breakthroughs that happen here at Massey are changing how we treat cancer – and the ways we talk about cancer – for everyone. Tis is what I love most about Massey.
What are some of Massey’s most important accomplishments over the past ffty years?
Massey’s core mission from day one has been access. It was unique to start with, and it’s unique today. Transformative, frst, was Dr. Walter Lawrence’s visionary leadership. It was radical at the time to introduce the concept of surgical oncology and to fght for equity the way he did. Troughout Massey’s history, we haven’t been afraid to innovate. We’ve led the way in patient care and in high impact research, like immunotherapies and CAR-T, the development of new drugs and new MRI-guided radiotherapies and surgical options for women with breast cancer.
And, that’s just some of what we’ve accomplished, together.
What role has philanthropy played across Massey’s history?
I often talk about “one team and one fght,” and at the core of that are our donors – generations of individuals and families who believe in the power of research and have invested in the future. Philanthropic support allows us to build hope through science. It enables us to explore novel ideas and to recruit and retain the best researchers and scientists who will lead us to the innovations of tomorrow.
What does the future of cancer research look like at Massey?
Research is changing the face of cancer. At Massey right now, we are focusing on new technologies like biomarkers and interceptors to identify individuals at high risk for cancer. We’re exploring multi-cancer early detection and developing mRNA vaccines for prevention. We’re investigating checkpoint inhibitors and targeted drug therapies, including protein biologics and antibodies that can target cancer and cancer-causing genes. We’re even using artifcial intelligence to personalize clinical research and improve drug delivery efciencies for diverse patients. And, we are advancing the science of implementation and health care delivery to make sure our innovations reach patients and communities.
Tis is all research happening at Massey right now that is moving us into the future.
STORIES OF IMPACT
For ffty years, Massey has driven practice changing research, championed health equity and set the bar of excellence in comprehensive collaborative care. Tese are just a few of the ways Massey has impacted the national, and global, fght against cancer – all from right here in central Virginia.
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national prominence
Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D., Massey’s founding director, created the frst division of surgical oncology in the nation. Former president of the American Cancer Society, Dr. Lawrence is widely considered the founding father of surgical oncology and was also a staunch advocate for equity in patient care and oncology.
People said, ‘Where is the cancer center?’ I had a party line, ‘It’s all around us.’ It really was the collaboration of scientists and laboratories, working together in a collaborative way.
– Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D. on the establishment of the cancer center in 1974
Massey was among the nation’s early cohort of cancer centers to receive National Cancer Institute designation in 1975, just one year after the establishment of the NCI Cancer Centers Program.
Robert A. Winn, M.D., Massey director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, is the frst Black cancer center director to lead a cancer center to NCI Comprehensive designation and the frst cancer center director from Virginia appointed president of the Association of American Cancer Institutes.
Massey is recognized as the frst in a new generation of NCI-designated cancer centers to drive its research based on a community-to-bench model informed by the needs of the community.
health equity
Massey’s leadership in health equity extends across its history through initiatives like Stand Up to Cancer, the Alliance for Equity in Cancer Care and the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program.
Te center received its frst NCI Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology Program grant in 1991, the frst year of the program.
Massey is one of 14 U.S. host sites and the only site in Virginia selected for the NCI Minority/Underserved Community Oncology Research Program, which aims to increase access and diversity in clinical trials.
research and innovation
Researchers at Massey have led or participated in national landmark clinical trials and contributed to practicechanging treatments – including breast-conserving surgical options for breast cancer, prostate and breast cancer prevention, and novel radiation therapies including intensity modulated radiotherapy and multicatheter breast brachytherapy, among other contributions.
Massey has one of the largest selections of clinical trials in Virginia, with more than 150 active clinical trials annually for cancer treatment, prevention and survivorship.
Massey is the frst cancer center in Virginia to ofer FDAapproved CAR T-cell therapies to treat lymphoma and leukemia and MRI-guided radiation to target difcult-totreat solid tumors, and is home to the state’s frst and largest bone marrow transplant unit.
Massey is an inaugural site for the NCI Cancer Screening Research Network to drive national scientifc discoveries and innovative technologies like multi-cancer detection.
education and training
Te Cancer Rehabilitation Program created under Susan Mellette, M.D., pioneered holistic cancer patient care and would become a model for cancer centers across the U.S. – and a precursor to Massey’s innovative Cancer Survivorship Program today.
Massey was an innovator in palliative care, establishing one of the frst programs of its kind in the nation.
Te VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion, which opened in 2021, brings treatment, integrative health and radiation treatment services above ground and in a light and hope-flled space.
Te Healing Space uses technology to provide an immersive, calming experience for patients and their families and is a model for other cancer centers.
Massey is one of the earliest cancer centers to receive American Cancer Society Institutional Research and NCI T32 postdoctoral program grants, setting the stage for our ongoing commitment to training the next generation of cancer researchers. comprehensive care
THANK
YOU for supporting Massey and lighting the path of hope toward a brighter future.
individual
donors
Individual donors listed contributed $10,000 or more in honor of Massey’s 50th Anniversary.
Anonymous (2) Linda and Ted Hanson
Anne and Roger Boevé Sally and Joseph Jenkins
Community Foundation Debbie Johnston for a Greater Richmond
Liza and Charles Cabell
Ginny and Charles Crone
Julia and John Curtis
Endeavour Legacy Foundation
Clarissa and Jay Frayser
Susan and Mike Gracik
Jane Kaplan
Dr. Audrey Landers
Stacey and Chris Marchetti
Betsy and Tony Markel
Massey Family Foundation
Anne B. Massey
corporate champions
*Gala Table Host
Apex Systems
ASGN
Atlantic Union Bank*
Brockenbrough*
Chesapeake Wealth Management/
Chesapeake Bank
Commonwealth Commercial
Partners
Davenport & Company
Dominion Energy Charitable
Foundation*
Excel Courier and Logistics
Fahrenheit Advisors
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Kinsale Insurance
Linden Capital
Markel Eagle Homes
McGuireWoods
McKesson Foundation
Primis Bank
Raymond James
Susan and George Poulos
Randolph D. Rouse Foundation, Inc.
Karen and Peter Shudtz
Alice and William Talbot
Ashley and Casey Tischer
Christina Todd
Marie and Jim White
Elizabeth and Joshua Wykle
Rockefeller Capital Management
Silvercrest Asset Management
Group
Te London Company
Truist
Waco, Inc.
Williams Mullen Foundation
Please accept our apologies for any errors or omissions to this donor list.
A community-centered approach to fghting cancer. #OneTeam #OneFight
gala table hosts
Shelly and Doug Arthur
Melissa Ball
Susie Bogese
Judy Brown
Judy and Charlie Clough
Hollis and Brandon Daniels
Darlene and George Emerson
Amy and Matthew Ernst
Trish Garland
Cheryl and Steve Goddard
Alice and Bill Goodwin
Kirsti and Matthew Goodwin
Terrell and Elliott Harrigan
Moira and C.T. Hill
Mary Jo and Howard Kahn
Cindi Cobbs and Jim Ludwig
Patricia and David Lyons
Becky and Bill Massey
Lucy and Travis Massey
Will Massey
Adrienne Maxwell
McCune and Stepanian Families
MCV Foundation
Gayle and Hank Miller
Beth and Marshall Orr
Martha and Bobby Proutt
gala Tank you to our generous partners for sharing partners their time and talents to advance our mission.
Easton Events
A special thank you to Easton Events for your excellence and expertise, countless pro-bono hours and access to a trove of stellar partners, who elevated our vision for a memorable and meaningful celebration.
Punch
To the talented team at Punch
RVA, thank you for designing the gorgeous Golden Gala logo, invitation suite and keepsake book pro-bono. We will cherish these gifts well into the future.
Kenna and Matthew Rash
Robbie Rice
Missy and Jim Ryan
Karen and Peter Shudtz
Vickie and Tom Snead
Judy and Nathan Turbeville
VCU Development and Alumni Relations
Anne Whittemore
Patty and Bobby Whitten
Zan and John Wick
Amy and Steve Williams
Corbin Gurkin Photography
David Stark Design
Design Cuisine
Elan Artists
GeNienne Samuels, WTVR CBS 6
Skyline Tent Company
Storybox Cinema
Technical Event Company
THANK YOU to our volunteer leaders
massey 5oth anniversary co-chairs
Ellen and Jim Bonbright | Patricia and David Lyons
golden gala honorary chairs
Lila Dickinson | Alice Goodwin | Vickie Snead
committee chairs
Shelly Arthur | Liz Hart Gorman | Michelle Logan | Becky Massey | Christina Todd | Judy Turbeville
individual giving committee
Jean Ann Bolling | Denise Lynch | Kathy and Jim Napier | Martha and Bobby Proutt | Kenna and Matt
Rash | Susan Sisisky | Anne Whittemore | John Wick
corporate philanthropy committee
Brian Bell | Laura Birdsey | Roger Boeve’ | Bob Canfeld | Brian Davis | Jedd Donaldson | Suzanne Etherington
Jef Fitch | Mike Gracik | Ted Hanson | Ukay Jackson | Liza Jarvis Scott | Chris Marchetti | Travis Massey
Hank Miller | Carter Reid | Mark Stepanian | Bobby Whitten
historians committee
Susie Benson | Mary Bliley | Ann Boeve’ | Jean Ann Bolling | Judy Brown | Judy Clough | Julie Fritz | Kathy Funk
Debbie Gibbs | Maggie Hager | Terrell Harrigan | Liz Hart Gorman | Adrienne Maxwell | Carolyn Meares |
Mauna Mullins | Cathy Plotkin | Robbie Rice | Missy Ryan | Judi Starkey | Beth Tornton | Anne Whittemore
event planning committee
Sydney Gottwald | Lucy Massey | Anna Reed | Katie Ukrop | Liz Valentine | Norvell Whitaker
Our vision for a future without the burdens of cancer starts with you. A gift to Massey will help light the path of hope for our next 5O years.
Scan the QR code or visit vcumassey.org/GiveMassey50 to make a gift to VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.