Stories of Giving

The Class of ’78 has left its mark on the world, improving the lives of countless people by providing healing, comfort and hope through medicine. Many stay connected to UMass Chan through our alumni association, class reunions and as donors to the Medical School. In a collective effort, the Class of ’78’s reunion fund brings important financial assistance to UMass Chan students; the class earned the participation award at their last reunion in 2018, with 44.6 percent of class members donating.

Donna Grogan, MD R'87 P'18, remembers when the main campus of UMass Chan Medical School was a vast, grassy field. Growing up in Worcester in the 1960s and ’70s, Donna witnessed firsthand the remarkable formation of the Medical School, a place that would go on to play a significant role in her life. Most recently, Donna and her husband, Paul, established an endowed scholarship to help UMass Chan students fulfill their dreams of a career in medicine.

Over the last five years, the Medical School has bolstered its commitment
to the local community through 32 community service projects funded by the Remillard Family Community Service Fund. Established in 2015 through a $3 million gift from the Remillard Family Foundation, this endowed fund is dedicated to ongoing support for community outreach led by UMass Chan faculty, students, staff and partners.

UMass Chan Medical School cancer biologist William Flavahan, PhD, is advancing his studies of the genetic processes leading to brain tumors through an esteemed award from the Sontag Foundation. Since receiving the four-year, $600,000 Distinguished Scientist Award in December 2021, Dr. Flavahan’s lab has progressed toward the ultimate goal—the development of more effective ways to treat brain tumors.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, UMass Chan Medical School is establishing endowed chairs at a steady pace, bringing the total number to 63.

Financial hardship should never prevent a motivated student from pursuing a career in medicine—a belief that runs deep within the UMass Chan Medical School community. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents and friends, this year an all-time high of 21 new scholarships were established, surpassing the previous record of 11 set just last year.

UMass Chan Medical School is advancing gene therapy research of two fatal, ultra-rare genetic disorders—Cockayne syndrome and UBA5—with help from family-driven funding partnerships.

Since launching in 2019, the Jake Kennedy ALS Fund has raised more than $500,000 to support groundbreaking ALS research at UMass Chan Medical School. For the family behind the fund, this milestone carries deep personal meaning, and brings hope of effective treatment for this progressive and ultimately fatal neurological disease.

An aggressive and devastating childhood cancer, neuroblastoma is a major challenge in pediatric oncology. UMass Chan Medical School’s Jason Shohet, MD, PhD, is tackling the disease head on through a new, two-year $300,000 Scholar Hope Grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels. Specifically, Dr. Shohet is focused on developing more effective and less toxic treatments for the deadly cancer.

More than 3,000 people took part in the 24th annual UMass Cancer Walk and Run presented by Harr Toyota at Polar Park on Sunday, Oct. 2. Runners and walkers, many wearing capes in honor of this year’s superhero theme, raised more than $700,000 for adult and pediatric cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan Medical School.