Scholarship captures a family’s love and the healing power of medicine

Since 2007, nine students at the T.H. Chan School of Medicine have benefited from the Charles Gomes Memorial Scholarship Fund, receiving financial support as they prepare for careers in medicine. Graduates supported by the fund have gone on to pursue a range of specialties, including internal medicine, emergency medicine, radiology and pediatrics.  

For donor David Gomes, meeting scholarship recipients has been one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience. He recalls meeting the first recipient with his late sister, Gloria Wood, who flew in from Arizona for the occasion. The two bonded with the student over their shared Portuguese heritage. Over the years, other recipients have stood out, including a fellow graduate of David’s alma mater, UMass Lowell, and a student who was thrilled that the scholarship helped cover the costs of her books and lab fees.

Current recipient Adara Bochanis, Class of 2027, is pursuing a future that combines compassionate patient care with systems-level innovation. Her path to medicine was shaped in part by growing up alongside her younger sister, who lives with congenital heart disease.

“Scholarship support allows me to fully dedicate myself to clinical training without the constant burden of financial stress,” said Adara. “It gives me the freedom to pursue the aspects of medicine that inspire me most: caring for complex patients, engaging in meaningful research, and serving underserved communities. Knowing that others believe in me is incredibly motivating, and their investment helps shape the kind of physician I hope to become.”

For nearly 20 years, the scholarship has reflected the Gomes family’s gratitude for the care they have received and their commitment to supporting future physicians.

From adversity and loss, care and compassion emerge

Gomes established the scholarship in memory of his brother, Charles “Charlie” Gomes, who lived with a severe developmental disability and required full-time care.

Charlie lived at home with David and the rest of their family in Lowell until he was 10 years old, when his parents could no longer safely meet his needs. He moved into a large institutional setting, an experience David remembers as deeply difficult.

“At the time, my parents had no choice,” said David. “Charlie was despondent every time he had to go back to the institution after coming home to Lowell to visit us.”

Years later, David became Charlie’s guardian, and following much advocacy from David, Charlie moved into a small residential group home. There, he received attentive care, and participated in the community, profoundly transforming his life.

“For the first time in his adult life, Charlie was content,” said David. “He was getting excellent support from caring professionals, living in a family-like environment and given the opportunity to work in a local manufacturing facility.”

Tragically, Charlie passed away in an accident in 2001, not long after moving into the group home. David and his siblings chose to honor Charlie’s memory by supporting medical education.

“The scholarship was created for Charlie in honor of what the medical profession has given me, Charlie, and our family,” said David.

The family selected UMass Chan Medical School for its reputation as the commonwealth’s public medical school and its commitment to educating students from a wide range of backgrounds.

“We wanted to bring financial support to students who really need it,” said David.

David’s gratitude is also shaped by his own experience. He benefited from intensive medical care at different periods of his life, including his rehabilitation from a car accident at age 23 that left him with a traumatic brain injury. He credits the persistence and deep compassion of health care professionals for his remarkable recovery, after his parents were told that he would “spend the rest of his life in a nursing home.”

In a further expression of gratitude, David has included a bequest to UMass Chan in support of the scholarship. It has also been strengthened by a gift from the estate of his sister, Gloria, following her passing in 2022.

Now living in New Bedford, David sees the scholarship as both a tribute to his brother and a way to support medical education amid growing workforce challenges in the health care sector.

“I wouldn’t be here today without the incredibly hard work, care and commitment of medical professionals, who dedicate their lives to helping others,” said David. “The scholarship fund is a special way to say thanks and keep Charlie’s memory alive.”