To get tothe U.S. in the late 1950s, Bill Belanich escaped Yugoslavia with his parents and two brothers, crossing the Adriatic Sea under cover of dark and spending two years in Italian refugee camps. Still a teenager at the time, he eventually made it to New York City with his family.

"When you come to this country, you see the endless opportunities that it has to offer," he said recently.

With that mindset, it was within just two days of arriving on U.S. soil that Belanich began his decades-long career in the construction industry. He installed asbestos in commercial and industrial sites for 10 years in New York, and in 1969 he found employment as an insulation journeyman in Richmond at Waco Inc. The rest of his career was spent growing with the company and working to abate toxic building material from offices, hospitals, schools and industrial sites.

In 2017, when a CT scan revealed the inevitable lung damage from asbestos exposure, the former Waco president knew exactly where he was going.

"People often go to the doctor and they hear a referral and don't do any further research," Belanich said. "If I am going to do anything with doctors when I need specialists, I do some research. I always have and I always will, and I follow wherever that takes me. In Richmond, VCU is blessed with many of the best doctors."

Belanich reconnected with Alpha A. "Berry" Fowler III, M.D., whom he had first met in 1997 due to a previous lung scare. In the interim, he had also seen VCU Health's Harold Young, M.D., for sciatica and acoustic neuroma, and George Vetrovec, M.D., for cardiovascular issues.

Since reconnecting with Dr. Fowler in 2017, Belanich has been working with the professor and former chair of the Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine to fight pulmonary fibrosis. The disease occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, making it more difficult for the lungs to work properly and causing shortness of breath that worsens over time.

Despite his fibrosis, Belanich, who is 80 years old, walks four miles every day when the weather allows, and he continues to add to the list of more than 80 countries he's visited in his lifetime.

It's because of this continued freedom —and the belief that Dr. Fowler and VCU Health can further help people battling all types of lung conditions —that Belanich made a $5 million commitment in 2020 to establish the William Belanich Endowment Fund at the VCU School of Medicine. A portion of his gift will provide current use funds as well. The fund will support specialty care for patients with interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, lung transplant, lung cancer, COPD, asthma and other lung diseases. It will also support faculty development, recruitment and retention, education and research in the Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine.

"I've told Mr. Belanich this several times to make sure he understands," Dr. Fowler said. "His gift is going to make an enormous impact on improving the health of hundreds, maybe thousands of individuals. It's truly going to enable us to grow the pulmonary division into a program that spreads throughout Central Virginia and cares for some of the sickest individuals in the state."

A GIFT THAT WAS A LIFETIME IN THE MAKING

"I was 29 when I arrived at Waco in 1969," Belanich said. "It was a growing company, and I grew with it. I bought stock when it was available and participated in profit sharing. And, of course, over the years, the stock value increased."

Belanich worked his way from journeyman to president. Thanks to his hard work and good fortunes, he was able to make a significant commitment to what he believes is a worthy cause and a team with unlimited potential to save and improve lives.

"Here at VCU Health we advance cutting-edge clinical care, complete trials of new therapies to treat severe lung disease, and help educate our physicians who will provide outstanding care for patients and families in Richmond and far beyond in the years ahead," said Patricia Sime, M.D., chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at VCU Health. "Support from generous donors like Mr. Belanich and others will help us save lives, develop the research needed to find cures and enable us to provide care for ever more patients in need."

To maximize his giving power and impact, Belanich chose to offer a blended gift, meaning he gave outright what he could for now, and designated the MCV Foundation as the beneficiary of his IRA to complete the gift.

"Mr. Belanich did not put many restrictions on his gift, so we will be able to allocate resources where needed," Dr. Fowler said. "We can use it to recruit new physicians, participate in the initiation of a new lung transplant center at the hospital, or grow some of the incredible services we already offer, including an interstitial lung disease clinic, an adult cystic fibrosis center, the state's largest interventional pulmonology program, pulmonary hypertension services and others."

The myriad of ways Belanich will impact the community here in Central Virginia are yet to be written, but they are guaranteed to improve lives thanks to his generosity. He played an important role in society for decades, sacrificing his own health. Now, he's giving back to help ensure others have the continued freedom he has experienced.

If you are interested in supporting the Pulmonology and Critical Care Division at VCU Health, contact Niles Eggleston, assistant vice president for development, VCU School of Medicine and VCU Health, at 804-828-2112 or niles.eggleston@vcuhealth.org.

Alpha A. "Berry" Fowler III, M.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, has treated Bill Belanich for pulmonary fibrosis since 2017. Photo: VCU University Marketing

Bill Belanich, shown here on a walk in Canada's Banff National Park. Photo courtesy of Bill Belanich

Terrence Walker faced the unimaginable when his wife Tracy died of colon cancer before reaching her 50th birthday. In the time since her death, he has found solace in giving back to honor the support of his colleagues and the care she received at VCU Massey Cancer Center.

"It has been therapeutic for me to give back," said Walker, an 18-year employee of VCU who works in the University Counseling Center. "I wanted to find some way to express my gratitude for the care she received and to the institution for support I received from colleagues."

Coworkers pooled their leave time to donate to him so that he had time to grieve after nearly seven years of juggling his day job, care appointments for Tracy, child care for their now 13-year-old son Joseph and the weight of losing the love of his life.

"I watched her go through the end stages of her life and I felt so powerless to do anything about her suffering," Walker said. "When she passed, I began to think about what I can do. I was in a position to financially give back, and I hope that this will help with research that spares families the pain and loss I've experienced."

Walker's gift was made by designating the MCV Foundation as a beneficiary of appreciated stock he owns. The appreciated stock will support Massey, and Walker did not add any restrictions, he says, because he trusts that Massey will have the best sense of how to use the resources to support its mission in ways that are impactful. By using a beneficiary designation to make a gift of his stock, Walker has the peace of mind that comes from knowing that when he passes away, his gift will benefit Massey immediately, without the delays or costs of probate.

"What I'm giving is such a small fraction compared to what the needs are," Walker said. "I hope that what I can do to help will encourage others to give. That would make me feel happy about making a difference where I can."

Make a Great Impact with a Charitable Beneficiary Designation

Allows you to:

• Name the MCV Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or other account.
• Make a gift that doesn't cost you anything right now.
• Provide future support for MCV Foundation.

How It Works:

• Retirement plans, IRAs, life insurance and commercial annuities are not controlled by the terms of your will but instead use beneficiary forms to determine who receives them.
• Beneficiary forms supersede your will when it comes to passing these assets, making them effective and easy ways to leave a legacy.
• By naming the MCV Foundation as a beneficiary of one of these assets, a gift will come directly to the MCV Foundation to be used in the manner you have directed.

How You Benefit:

• It is one of the simplest ways to make a legacy gift.
• You maintain control of your assets during your lifetime and can modify your plans as needed.
• Your gift passes outside of probate and is excluded from your estate for tax purposes.
• You avoid passing heavily taxed assets to heirs if you designate certain asset types for the MCV Foundation.
• You will become a member of the MCV Society, which honors those who have made a planned gift of any size to support one of the MCV Campus partners. Society members are invited to special events and programs in appreciation of their commitment to the future of the MCV Campus.

Ways to Give:

• Retirement plans and IRAs
• Life insurance policies
• Commercial annuities
• Bank accounts
• Investment accounts

For more information about charitable beneficiary designations or any other planned gift to the MCV Campus, contact JASON R. CHESTNUTT, CFP^®, Executive Director of Planned Giving, MCV Campus at the MCV Foundation.

Terrence Walker (left) with his son Joseph (center) and wife Tracy (right) attend Joseph's middle school graduation in one of the last family photos before Tracy's death from cancer. Photo courtesy of Terrence Walker

The MCV Campus is more than just a professional home for David Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry and associate vice president for health sciences at VCU. It's also where he has thrived and developed as a leader and mentor.

"When I wake up in the morning, I truly look forward to going to work," Dean Sarrett said. "It's a place where people want to do the best for our students, the community and the university. I've been very fortunate to be successful here, and it's all because I came to the MCV Campus."

Dr. Sarrett's wife shares his fondness for the campus and the impact it has had in their lives. "He has worked very hard for VCU, and we both have been supporters of the university." Beth said. "We raised our successful children in Richmond and credit the university with the amazing transformation of the city we now enjoy."

In 1993, the Sarretts came to Richmond after he accepted a job as chair of the school's Department of General Practice. It was during a time, he said, when he was processing some professional disappointments around his career. Dean Sarrett often shares this story with students he mentors as a lesson on the importance of accepting disappointment and how those moments can lead to unforeseen opportunities.

Dr. Sarrett became dean of the School of Dentistry in 2010. His leadership of the school came after years of progressive responsibility in administrative and faculty roles. He says he could not have imagined the success he has enjoyed at the school, and recently Dean Sarrett and Beth announced their intent to give back through a bequest that will honor his earliest days at the school. Their estate plans include support to endow a chair in general dentistry and ensure that future generations of VCU School of Dentistry students learn from the most talented faculty.

"Our children are both grown and we're looking to the next phase of our lives and careers," Dean Sarrett said. "We've been very fortunate and wanted to leave some sort of legacy at the School of Dentistry, which has been a very important part of my career."

When they were updating their will, they wanted to document a testamentary bequest that will support faculty in the area of general dentistry or restorative dentistry. In many dental schools, faculty endowments are focused around specialty dentistry, and it's often more challenging to recruit and retain highly qualified faculty in general dentistry.

"As a general dentist, I've always felt that it's a really important aspect," Dean Sarrett said. "Dental schools everywhere have a challenge recruiting highly qualified general dentists to careers in academic dentistry."

Beth has witnessed that challenge firsthand and believes in the opportunity to create lasting impact through this investment in the school.

"General dentists are primarily the people who identify health issues among their patients," she said. "People tend to see their dentist more regularly than their doctor. They can see warning signs of high blood pressure and diabetes."

For them, the goal was simple. The Sarretts wanted to strengthen future efforts to recruit and retain the best faculty at Virginia's only dentistry school.

"VCU has provided us with a tremendous opportunity, and we want dental education at VCU to thrive in the future," Dean Sarrett said. "To me, that's it's all about the people, particularly our faculty. Anything we can do to ensure there's always excellent faculty and they have the ability to thrive and grow is the best way to ensure that dental education stays strong at VCU."

The Sarretts have seen how the value of philanthropy enriches the lives of faculty and students at the School of Dentistry. "Philanthropy adds incredible value to the school," Dean Sarrett said. "Planned gifts can benefit future leaders' ability to grow research, hire excellent faculty or purchase critical new tools and equipment."

While the Sarretts' goal was to ensure the future of the school's ability to recruit and retain excellent faculty, Dean Sarrett says he would be pleasantly surprised if others are inspired by his example to support what matters most to them on the MCV Campus.

"Why wouldn't you want to support something that's strong in order to keep it strong," Dean Sarrett said. "I really hope that it ensures that we'll have top-notch dental faculty here at the School of Dentistry by providing funds to recruit and professionally develop faculty."

About Bequests

Bequests create an enduring investment in initiatives that advance the great care, research and education on the MCV Campus. Making a bequest is simple:

• Bequests cost nothing now, yet give you the satisfaction of knowing you have provided support for the MCV Campus in the future.
• You retain control and use of your assets during your lifetime.
• You may modify your bequest if your circumstances change.
• Gifts to the MCV Foundation from your estate are exempt from federal taxes.

If you would like to learn more about how making a planned gift arrangement can ensure your legacy of support for the causes most important to you, please contact Brian Thomas, vice president and chief development officer at the MCV Foundation, by calling 804-828-0067 or emailing brian.thomas@vcuhealth.org.

David Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry, shares his excitement for plans that will give dentistry clinics a new home in the adult outpatient pavillion (rendering in background) under construction at VCU Health. Photo: Paul Brockwell Jr.

Associate professor of general practice Mary Baechle, D.D.S., instructs Yousef Abdullah as David Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the School of Dentistry, observes. Dr. Sarrett and his wife recently announced the inclusion of an endowed chair of general dentistry in their estate plans. Photo: Paul Brockwell Jr.

The stock market continues to perform strongly, and now is an ideal time to consider leveraging your successful investments to advance lifesaving research by donating appreciated stock.

We spoke with Adrienne Maxwell, an emeritus member of VCU Massey Cancer Center's community advisory board, to learn why she recently donated stock to support women's cancer research.

Adrienne enjoyed a long and successful career in banking. At one point, she managed investments and oversaw estate planning as a vice president at Citibank. She and her late husband Jack have long supported medical research. Initially, they were interested in supporting neurological research after each losing a parent to Parkinson's disease. Adrienne also found inspiration to give back from one of her college roommates, who worked with an organization that rode horseback to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in rural Kentucky.

"I wanted to be able to leave a legacy and help build something that would help everyone — not just me and not just my neighbor," Adrienne said.

Her connection to Massey came at a fortuitous time. When Adrienne and her late husband Jack had relocated to Richmond, Adrienne was searching for a way to use her talents in financial services and business development for a good cause. For her, medical research resonated as an important area to support.

At the time, Morgan Massey was charting his vision for Massey's new community advisory board. He hoped to establish the board as a source of philanthropic expertise from the community to help fuel cancer research and treatment. Morgan recruited Adrienne to lead the development committee, a role which helped set the board up for future success. As Adrienne says, everything she did was about creating awareness of the great care available on the MCV Campus and building a constituency of support for the lifesaving work of cancer researchers.

One event she helped found — the Women & Wellness Forum — continues to educate women on healthcare options in Richmond and raise funds to support women's cancer research at Massey. The event is a beloved and anticipated annual tradition. Over the years, it has raised nearly $5 million for women's cancer research, inspired thousands of attendees and welcomed impressive keynote speakers.

"This year provided the perfect opportunity," Adrienne said. "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 25th anniversary."

She hopes her gift will inspire others to support Massey and women's cancer research. Adrienne recently established a charitable gift annuity to provide future 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."

As a former head of estate planning, Adrienne encourages people to consider giving stock, especially for the tax benefits.

"To me, there's no reason not to do it," Adrienne said. "The process was very simple: All I did was sign a paper and give the money manager for the investment account permission to turn the stock over to the MCV Foundation to sell."

Beyond the impact on patient care, research and education for the MCV Campus, the benefits of giving stock include the following:

• Donors avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated stock.
• Donors also qualify for a federal income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock gift.

The MCV Foundation is here to make the process as easy as possible. Learn how you can make a gift of stock to support the MCV Campus by visiting our securities page or contacting Brian Thomas, vice president and chief development officer.

Adrienne Maxwell and her late husband Jack enjoyed successful careers and have focused their philanthropy on support for medical research because of the positive impact that research can have for all communities. Photo courtesy of Adrienne and Jack Maxwell

Becky Massey, Adrienne Maxwell, and Morgan Massey have worked together to build and strengthen the community advisory board of VCU Massey Cancer Center. Morgan recruited Adrienne to lead the development committee and help organize early philanthropic efforts. Photo courtesy of VCU Massey Cancer Center

The Women & Wellness Forum has raised nearly $5 million for cancer research and educated women on health issues and care options here in Richmond. Adrienne Maxwell recently gave a gift of stock to celebrate the 25th year of the forum. Photo courtesy of VCU Massey Cancer Center

Michele and Don Romano have a simple goal when it comes to supporting the MCV Campus.

"It's our favorite charity, and our objective is to donate as much as possible," Don explained. Both Don and Michele are MCV Campus alumni, and Michele serves on the board of the MCV Foundation.

Through the foundation, they learned about IRA Charitable Rollovers as a unique and easy way to support the academic health center. The Romanos have also included generous support through planned bequests to fund faculty chairs and scholarships at three of VCU's health science schools, but their use of IRA Charitable Rollovers allows them to give back each year to support the academic health center.

"I think it's an absolutely fascinating way to give back," Michele said. "It allows you to give more money to the charity you want — hopefully the MCV Foundation — and save on taxes. It's just such a win-win."

This way of giving is simple and easy to understand. Once individuals turn 70 1/2, they are required by federal tax law to make annual withdrawals from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Those withdrawals, or required minimum distributions, would normally be taxed. Through an IRA Charitable Rollover, people can request that a gift be made from their IRA, sending either the required minimum distribution or a portion of it, directly to the charity they wish to support. Those donated funds are not taxed.

"All of the things I've been able to do in my professional life, MCV really opened the door for them," Don said. "We think that it's worthwhile and good for people to give back to the university. It's like paying it forward — to be able to help the next generation."

For the Romanos, the MCV Campus has been an integral part of their story and success through life's many twists and turns.

The two married shortly after graduating from college. A month later, Don was drafted into military service during the Vietnam War. He shipped out to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he learned he could eschew living in the barracks and move up his new wife, a nurse, to live with him off base.

"When I landed, it was mid-January and the temperature was a legit 60 degrees below zero," Michele remembers.

Their adventures didn't end with the extreme cold. Shortly after the Romanos arrived, oil was discovered 400 miles north of Fairbanks in Prudhoe Bay. The city began bustling with trucks and heavy equipment. Almost in tandem, the need for advanced medical capabilities became evident.

"We were the only full-service hospital in the interior of Alaska," Michele said. "This was a small hospital in bush country. We were the closest hospital - they had nowhere else to go. We had very few doctors, and suddenly we needed to build an intensive care unit."

Michele's prior experience in critical care equipped her to train and lead the nursing team at Alaska's first community hospital. She shared a textbook she'd used with the doctor in charge and asked for standing orders she could use to train other nurses. After paging through the book, the doctor signed the textbook and handed it back to her with the directive, "if it's in there, you can do it!"

Those 18 months in Alaska were a formative time for both Romanos. Don soon received discharge from the service, and Michele left Alaska battle-tested and eager to challenge herself as a healthcare professional. They moved to New York, where he earned an MBA at the University of Buffalo. Soon after, Don began contemplating a career move into healthcare administration.

At the time, healthcare administration was a relatively new field of study. There were fewer than 10 programs in the country, and MCV's stood out to Don because of its strong reputation and the internship component. He also admits the weather situation seemed phenomenally better compared to Alaska and Buffalo, N.Y.

In 1973, Don graduated with his master's in health administration from what is now the VCU College of Health Professions and began a successful and diverse career in healthcare administration.

A few years later, Michele found herself at a career crossroads. She craved new challenges and knew she wanted to continue providing frontline patient care. Her next step would eventually lead her back to Richmond, where she had worked as chief nurse of the intensive care unit at Retreat Hospital when Don was studying at MCV. She returned to Richmond and entered the School of Medicine at age 32.

After graduating in 1984, she completed her residency with VCU in family medicine and practiced independently in northern Virginia before retiring in 2015.

Both Don and Michele say their time on the MCV Campus helped define their careers and life together through many different adventures.

"We couldn't be more grateful and privileged to be a part of this place," Michele said. "We both think that we have the life we have today and the opportunities and the privilege to give back because of MCV."

Like the Romanos, You Too Can Use Your IRA to Create a Living Legacy

• Donors must be 70 1/2 or older.
• Gifts can count toward a required minimum distribution (RMD).
• The gift is not included in taxable income, and no charitable deduction is allowed.
• Gifts to all charities combined cannot exceed $100,000 per taxpayer, per year.
• The gifts must be made directly from the IRA to the MCV Foundation.

If you'd like to learn more about how you can support great care, research, and education on the MCV Campus through an IRA Charitable Rollover gift, please visit our planned giving page.

Don and Michele Romano, M.D., consider their support an important way to pay forward the various benefits they credit to their education on the MCV Campus. Photo: Paul Brockwell Jr.

Michele Romano, M.D., stands outside the house she and her husband Don shared as newlyweds in Fairbanks, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Don and Michele Romano

While working as a nurse, Michele Romano, M.D., helped set up the intensive care unit at the first community hospital in the Alaskan interior shortly after oil discovered at Prudhoe Bay set off a population explosion that required more advanced healthcare needs. Photo courtesy of Michele and Don Romano

A $1 million gift from the estate of Rebecca Peebles Bowen continues her and her husband's legacy of supporting healthcare and healthcare education. The Dr. Robert Richardson Bowen and Rebecca Peebles Bowen Endowed Scholarship will support nurse practitioner students in the master's or Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at the VCU School of Nursing.

Rebecca Peebles Bowen's avid support for healthcare and healthcare education began early in her adult life.

When her husband, the late Robert Richardson Bowen, M.D., entered medical school in the 1950s at the Medical College of Virginia, Rebecca worked to support their family through a job at Miller & Rhoads, the legendary Richmond department store. Rebecca had studied merchandising at the Richmond Professional Institute, which later merged with MCV to create Virginia Commonwealth University. She was naturally gifted at her job, says her niece Mary Dunn Conover. Rebecca quickly earned a promotion to be an assistant buyer of children's clothes for the department store.

Mary Dunn remembers that was a happy time for her aunt and uncle. Both Bob and Rebecca were members of the Greatest Generation. They lived through the Great Depression and Bob volunteered to serve on a destroyer for the U.S. Navy in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II. Those global events deeply shaped the Bowens.

"They grew up with the concept that if you had resources that could benefit others, you should share them," says Mary Dunn.

Rebecca died last year at age 91, leaving behind a legacy of generosity from both her and her husband. Dr. Bowen, who died in 2013, practiced as an orthopedic surgeon for 40 years in Lynchburg, Virginia, mentoring numerous physicians and nurses. He was a member of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, the Medical Society of Virginia and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

During their lifetimes, the Bowens made numerous contributions to healthcare and healthcare education. In the early '90s, they funded a new surgical suite and adjacent waiting room at Lynchburg General Hospital. They also established the Dr. Robert R. Bowen Foundation, which provided ongoing nonprofit support until its transfer to the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation in 2016. Over its lifespan, the Bowen Foundation board allocated annual grants to further both healthcare delivery and nursing education.

Now, the Bowens have expanded their generosity to make an impact on the MCV Campus. Rebecca left $1 million from her estate to the School of Nursing.

Rebecca's decision to give from her estate to endow a scholarship at the VCU School of Nursing was made with the hope of advancing the careers of nursing students by supporting nurse practitioners in the master's or Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. The scholarships will fund half of the tuition and fees for full- or part-time students who are Virginia residents and demonstrate academic merit and financial need.

"We are truly grateful for the Bowen family's investment in our students," says Jean Giddens, Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Nursing. "The scholarships will enhance our ability to prepare more nurse practitioners with the advanced education needed to improve patient safety and the delivery of healthcare."

During her life, Rebecca was continually impressed at the role nurse practitioners play in providing healthcare in rural and urban areas with access challenges.

Rebecca and her husband found inspiration in their next-door neighbor, who was a nurse practitioner and taught as a professor. Rebecca often told her niece that she believed nurse practitioners are skilled at listening to patients and explaining what's happening.

"Nurse practitioners are an increasingly vital part of the whole medical system," said Mary Dunn, who retired as director of a community health clinic. "Most of the highly-trained specialists and big practices track with the interstates. But when you get out into the countryside, fewer and fewer people want to go into those areas, and that is where nurse practitioners have been an absolute godsend."

Rebecca saw the opportunity to endow this scholarship to honor her late husband's career and philanthropy by supporting education and training for the talented men and women who choose to become nurse practitioners.

If you're also interested in supporting scholarships for the next generation of healthcare professionals, visit our giving page to learn how you can contribute to existing scholarships or create new ones to ensure that a world-class education remains within reach for all qualified individuals.

Rebecca Peebles Bowen's gift to support scholarships for nurse practitioners follows a lifelong legacy of supporting healthcare and healthcare education. Photo courtesy of Mary Dunn Conover

Robert Richardson Bowen, M.D., practiced as an orthopedic surgeon for 40 years in Lynchburg, Virginia. His wife wanted to honor him with her estate gift to support scholarships at the VCU School of Nursing. Photo courtesy of Mary Dunn Conover

A nurse practitioner student examines a resident at one of the VCU School of Nursing's Richmond Health and Wellness Program sites. Scholarships for students keep a world-class education within reach for aspiring nurse practitioners. Photo Courtesy of VCU School of Nursing

Almost 20 years ago, Cathy Plotkin received a phone call at work that would change her life. Her husband Ron had been in a car accident after having a seizure while driving. After rushing to the hospital, she was shocked by what she learned next. "The doctors did an MRI and said, 'It's either a small stroke or a brain tumor.' I couldn't believe we were hoping for a stroke."

Tragically, it turned out to be a brain tumor.

"The irony for Ron was that he had never been in better shape — he walked every day, played golf, and even stopped eating his favorite meal of steak and potatoes," Cathy said. The doctors told the Plotkins that Ron was likely born with the tumor.

Ron, Cathy and their adult sons Jay and Adam struggled to find the best possible treatment plan, but they received conflicting recommendations of radiation, chemotherapy or surgery from experts around the country. Ron eventually went to VCU Massey Cancer Center and saw Harold F. Young, M.D., now former chair of VCU Health's Department of Neurosurgery and MCV Foundation Lifetime Honorary Trustee.

"Harry recommended radiation and that's what we did. It was very reassuring — the way that everyone at VCU dealt with us — the team approach to treating the tumor, and not just the tumor but the whole patient and family," Cathy told us.

Ron recovered well after radiation and enjoyed two more years with his family, joyously competing for bragging rights over who was the "ace" golfer or who caught the largest Native Brook Trout while fly-fishing in the Tye River off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

But the cancer came back with a vengeance and Ron's conditioned deteriorated quickly this time. He passed away in early 2002 at the age of 57.

The rabbi at Ron's eulogy likened him to a persimmon, a fruit that can be tough on the outside, but is incredibly sweet on the inside. Those in the Richmond community who knew Ron saw his kindness shine through in his roles as a businessman, lawyer and active member of the Jewish Community Federation and Congregation Beth Ahabah.

"Dad was Dad. He was just a good person. I knew him obviously as a father, but also as a friend," his youngest son Adam told us. "As hard as it was for him to leave as early as he did in my life, it's still a blessing to have been with him for as long as I was, and how lucky am I to be happy anytime I think about him. That's just the lasting impression that he left on a lot of people."

When Ron's eldest son Jay and his wife Karen had twin daughters, they named their firstborn Rachel Margaret Plotkin, in honor of Ron's initials R.M.P.

"Dad set a great example for me as a father and I have tried to copy his example with my kids. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could see and talk to him again. I can only imagine what kind of doting grandfather he'd be to Rachel and Lindsey," Jay said.

Cathy talked with Jay and Adam about how they wanted to honor their father's memory. They decided to establish the Ronald M. Plotkin Memorial Brain Tumor Research Fund at Massey to help researchers improve treatments and eventually find a cure for brain cancer. They have also included the fund in their estate plans. "We wanted to help other people who were going through the same kind of experience we did. Ron's memory will live on in the good work accomplished by the doctors at Massey," Cathy said.

"It was horrible what happened to Dad and to us. My brother and I lost our Dad, and my Mom lost the love of her life," said Adam. "At least we were in a position to do something. I believe if you have an ability you have a responsibility. There was no better way for us to take something terrible and turn it into something beautiful. I know this will go on long beyond us."

To learn about beneficiary designations and other means of honoring a loved one by establishing a gift that will support the lifesaving work of any VCU Health unit, school or program on the MCV Campus, please visit our giving page.

Cathy is pictured with Ron at the wedding of their eldest son Jay.

Fly-fishing was one of Ron's favorite ways to relax with his family.

Karen, Rachel, Lindsey and Jay Plotkin celebrate the girls' B'not Mitzvah.

Jay, Ron, Cathy and Adam enjoy Thanksgiving together in Richmond in the early 1990's. All photos courtesy of the Plotkin family.

In 2016, Williamsburg couple Nancy and Craig Canning were both beginning to enjoy the relaxation of retirement when they encountered two unexpected hurdles: anxiety and depression.

Partners in every sense of the word, this was a battle they would face together.

To that point, neither had any experience with mental illness, and they were involved in their Williamsburg community through a shared love of music and history. Nancy plays the violin and is a retired high school social studies teacher, while Craig prefers the flute, clarinet and saxophone and is a retired East Asian history professor from The College of William & Mary.

Through connections made during Craig's travel to Asia, the couple adopted their daughter Leslie, a Chinese orphan who is now an adult with a child of her own.

It was just after Thanksgiving in 2016 that Nancy and Craig found out Leslie was getting a divorce, and the news triggered an anxiety level that Nancy had never experienced.

"I got worried about her situation, and then I transferred that anxiety about her to anxiety about me," Nancy told us. "What if something happened to my husband? What would I do? How would I handle our finances, remember all our passwords and deal with everything around the house?"

Nancy was initially taken to the emergency room in Williamsburg, but was then transferred to the MCV Campus of VCU Health where she was treated for acute anxiety disorder over three days. Though she returned home and sought help from a local counselor, her condition deteriorated and she came back to the MCV Campus for treatment. She would end up spending 45 days here in early 2017, including two three-week treatment sessions.

"Nancy became delusional and was diagnosed with severe depressive disorder," Craig explained. "She didn't want to eat, shower or brush her teeth, and her weight dropped by more than 25 pounds in less than two months."

Nancy doesn't remember everything — she relies on her husband whom she adoringly calls "Craigie" to fill in the missing pieces — but she does remember being transported to the hospital in handcuffs. Craig told us, "In the beginning, Nancy spent a lot of time sitting on the edge of her hospital bed with her eyes closed, in pain."

Doctors at VCU Health's Department of Psychiatry tried treating Nancy with medication, but to no avail.

They then suggested electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and though Nancy was initially reluctant, she started feeling better after the fourth treatment.

"We're so grateful to Drs. Adam Rosenblatt, Ananda Pandurangi and Vasu Venkatachalam, all the people in the ECT program, and the staff in the geriatric psychiatry section who basically saved me," said Nancy. "I've returned to my former self. I'm happy every day — I started taking yoga classes and I'm playing the violin again. I joined a Scottish fiddling group and have formed a quartet with three other women. My favorite activity is to eat lunch out with my friends. We are indebted to the people on the MCV Campus."

Nancy and Craig returned to VCU Health on an outpatient basis for her maintenance ECT treatments, and in February they celebrated her last treatment as she's doing so well with no sign of relapse.

"Every time we went back we saw how the staff worked so well together," Nancy said. "They're cheerful and warm and friendly, and you can tell people really like each other. There's a certain atmosphere there that's hard to reproduce. The nurses and doctors always hugged me and it just makes you feel so good."

In gratitude for the treatment that helped Nancy, the Cannings wanted to do something to show their appreciation for the doctors, nurses, social workers, medical students and staff in the Department of Psychiatry. Therefore, they established the Craig and Nancy Canning Education Enhancement Award using an IRA charitable rollover. They also have included a bequest in their estate plans that will enable the fund to make an even bigger impact.

"We liked the idea of an endowment because it will reach beyond our lives," Craig said. "But we're not the Rockefellers. We have some savings and consider ourselves fortunate. It's a modest gift that we hope will help the staff."

Craig and Nancy's gift is an award that any doctor, nurse, social worker, resident or medical student in the Department of Psychiatry can apply for, with the goal of improving patient care in the adult inpatient and geriatric psychiatry units. The award will help cover various expenses related to continued education and training, such as giving conference presentations and participating in seminars and workshops.

Ananda Pandurangi, M.D., medical director and chair of VCU Health's inpatient psychiatry division, is the head of the committee that awards the annual gift.

"Since Craig and Nancy wanted the benefits of their generosity to start right away, four people were given awards this past December. These awards encourage young psychiatric providers to think about better standards of care for patients, and develop projects and papers on that subject. We were able to help the Cannings and now they are helping us develop ideas — it's a great partnership."

If you're interested in helping improve the MCV Campus's world-class patient care, education and research like the Cannings have done, please explore our giving page where you can learn about all the tools we have available for you to improve and save lives through giving.

Nancy and Craig Canning celebrate a return to health and enjoy one of their favorite activities — dining out. Photo: Courtesy of the Cannings

Nancy Canning relaxes in her back yard with a book. When she experienced severe depression in 2016, she stopped eating, seeing friends, playing music and reading. Today, she reads almost a book every week.

Nancy Canning plays a Scottish fiddle tune at her house in Williamsburg. When Nancy experienced severe depression in 2016, she stopped playing music and severed ties with several other favorite activities. Since her recovery, she has formed a quartet to play classical music and has also taken up the Scottish fiddle.

Nancy and Craig Canning reflect on the extraordinary recovery Nancy has made since experiencing severe depression in 2016. As they sit at their piano and share stories with us, they smile about their return to the joys of everyday life together.

Kathy Bobbitt, Ed.D., and Bertha Rolfe, R.Ph., are long-time friends. "Since forever," they tell us.

Both are MCV Campus graduates — Kathy from the School of Nursing in 1956 and Bertha from the School of Pharmacy in 1947 — both are former faculty members, both are Lifetime Honorary Trustees on our board, and both served our campus through its alumni association.

They also share a particularly creative way of giving to the MCV Campus, which is through charitable gift annuities. While this tool is just one of the many ways Kathy, Bertha and others support the MCV Campus with their time and resources, it's one of the most impactful and mutually beneficial for donors and the university.

A charitable gift annuity is a method of giving in which donors contribute cash or appreciated securities in support of their passion on the MCV Campus, and in return receive lifetime fixed payments for themselves and/or another beneficiary.

Now is a particularly beneficial time to take advantage of this type of giving arrangement because payment rates have just increased for the first time in six years, and that is exactly why we wanted to promote charitable gift annuities by asking Kathy and Bertha about their impressions and experiences with this method of giving.

What we learned is they're using the tool in two different, yet equally impactful ways.

In the mid-1990s, Kathy and three of her psychiatric nursing colleagues at the School of Nursing were retiring and wanted to create a legacy lectureship fund that would continue educating the school's students in perpetuity. Each contributed in their own way, and Kathy chose a charitable gift annuity.

"I decided I would pick a giving instrument that would keep putting money into the fund, so I picked the annuity," she said. "Each time the quarterly payment comes, I give that back to the fund to help it grow. Now, because of that growth, we have moved beyond a lectureship and it's almost a professorship. Maybe it will be even more than that as time goes on."

In 2000, Bertha also decided to use a charitable gift annuity as a tool for supporting the MCV Campus. In her case, she chose a charitable gift annuity to support herself while also supporting the MCV Campus.

"I chose a charitable gift annuity because I don't have a pension and I wanted the income from the annuity," she said. "That was 18 years ago, and I've been getting the payments all these years. It has certainly contributed to my ability to continue to give to the university. I like to support the Massey Cancer Center, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy and the Alumni Association, so I'm very interested in being able to continue to give to all of those."

Bertha said that when she made her gift almost 20 years ago, she used appreciated stock. She recommends this method of giving because contributing this type of asset offers favorable tax benefits.

In addition to providing extra income for life, Kathy and Bertha said they like the fact that charitable gift annuities make for solid investments.

"I felt it was a very comfortable, safe investment," Bertha said. "If you give to the university or the foundation in an annuity, you know they're not going anywhere. Your investment is secure, and you can get a very favorable payment rate."

Our staff at the foundation are here to make the process even more safe and comfortable on top of providing a secure investment, which was Kathy's experience.

"The foundation walks you through the process and you don't feel alone," she said. "And when I finalized the agreement, I knew I had done the right thing."

Now is a great time to consider a charitable gift annuity with the MCV Foundation. The payment rates associated with these popular give arrangements have increased for the first time in six years.

Creating a charitable gift annuity is simple:

• You make a gift of cash or appreciated securities to the MCV Foundation and in return, the foundation pays you and up to one other individual a fixed income for life.
• Your gift will qualify for a federal income tax deduction.
• The remainder of your gift will support the cause you choose on the MCV Campus.

If you're interested in speaking with someone about charitable gift annuities and how your gifts can be creative and impactful, please contact Brian Thomas, MCV Foundation vice president and chief development officer, at brian.thomas@vcuhealth.org or 804-828-0067.

If you'd like to learn about all the creative tools available for giving to the MCV Campus, please visit our giving page.

Long-time friends and MCV Campus supporters Kathy Bobbitt, Ed.D. (left), and Bertha Rolfe, R.Ph. (right), have both established charitable gift annuities with our foundation. Since payment rates just went up for the first time in six years, we decided to catch up with Kathy and Bertha to ask about their experiences with this creative and impactful giving tool.

Bertha Rolfe, R.Ph. (left), and Kathy Bobbitt, Ed.D. (right), both told us they've had very positive experiences with establishing charitable gift annuities at the MCV Foundation. Kathy uses her payments to help a fund on campus grow, while Bertha uses hers for extra income.

There's a Danish proverb that says "Alle Baader hioelpe." "Every little helps."

Julie Møller Sanford, M'53, discovered at a young age that a little kindness could go a long way.

Born in Alabama to Danish parents, Møller and her family lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, for much of her childhood, enjoying the company of aunts, uncles and cousins who lived within walking distance. Yet all of that quickly changed in April 1940 when Germany invaded Denmark during World War II.

Møller was just 13 years old.

At the time of the invasion, her parents were overseas so, alone, she and her 10-year-old sister fled through Germany, Austria and Italy to catch a boat to New York. Although they were able to travel under an American passport, their journey wasn't without peril. Germany had invaded the Lowlands in Western Europe and as the sisters reached the Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy, the border closed. German soldiers marched on their train and turned it back to Innsbruck, Austria, forcing all passengers from the train.

"Despite maintaining a calm facade for the sake of her little sister, my mom was scared to death," says Møller's daughter, Ann Sanford, recounting the stories her mother shared with family before her passing in 2017. It wasn't until adulthood that she and her siblings learned many of the details of what happened, thanks to Møller's inquisitive grandchildren.

The Møllers' dearest family friends in Denmark were Jewish and "she had heard of the concentration camps and didn't know what would happen as she sat with her sister on the train platform in Austria," Sanford says. "Then a kind young man took notice and helped them find food and a place to stay. The next day, they were able to get back on the train and continue their journey."

Ultimately the sisters reached the boat in Genoa, Italy — one of the last passenger ships to safely cross the Atlantic Ocean. At last safely aboard, Møller recognized the dire circumstances around them; they were fortunate to share a cabin with an elderly woman while many passengers slept in common areas.

Their mother met the boat in New York City with tears of relief and joy, having searched for them on each ship that arrived.

"The impact of that period in her life helped her understand the hardships faced by many and the difference one person could make," Sanford says. "She also was mindful of and grateful for the opportunities she had for learning and to make a positive contribution. She just appreciated life. In her medical practice and in her community, she was calm and resourceful, kind and accepting. She understood the importance of recognizing the dignity in others, whatever their origins or circumstances."

So it came as no surprise to Sanford that her mother decided to endow a scholarship in the School of Medicine. In coordination with her husband John Sanford, also a physician, she made provisions for the MCV Foundation in her estate and also named the foundation as a beneficiary on her retirement accounts.

"My parents had families that supported them when they worked to become physicians — emotional support and financial support," Sanford says. "They appreciated that and wanted to pay it forward. Medicine wasn't just a job or profession to them. It was a calling and an opportunity to make an impact. Both viewed this scholarship as a wonderful way to continue that work, their life's work, and to share that with others." Møller also had an impact in Duluth, Minnesota. In 1964 she became the first female doctor at the Duluth Clinic, where she practiced internal medicine. Sanford remembers pictures from her mother's early years of training in Chicago and in practice — all men and "then there's mom. Women in medicine were all pioneers back in those days."

Møller made a point to treat each patient as an individual — not a lab result or diagnosis, a lesson she passed on to the two of her four children who became physicians and to her students in her role as a clinical preceptor for the University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth. "My brother told me of her advice to him — to make sure to find out something personal about each patient," Sanford says. "What's the most exciting thing they've ever done or the most beautiful thing they've ever seen? And then remember it. Treat each patient as a unique person, with dignity and respect."

Both lifelong scholars, Møller and her husband instilled a love of learning in all their children, as well as an appreciation for their Danish heritage. Their home was always "hyggeligt" — cozy and welcoming, filled with family, friends and plenty of books.

This warm and accepting spirit, impressed upon Møller by the experiences of her childhood, now extends to the School of Medicine and future scholarship recipients. To Julie Møller and John Sanford, the commitment was about more than money.

"My sister, a physician, summed it up well noting that our parents would have said to the students, 'It's us next to you. We're here for you and we believe in you,'" Sanford says. "That's just how they were. All four of us kids are so proud and happy that they were able to do this. Our family will grow with this scholarship."

The MCV Foundation houses all of the MCV Campus's endowment funds and offers planned giving expertise to our alumni and donors. If you want to begin a conversation about how to use estate planning to your advantage, please call JASON R. CHESTNUTT, CFP^® at (804) 828-4599. To learn more about all the ways to support the MCV Campus, visit our giving page.

This article originally appeared in the VCU School of Medicine's spring 2018 issue of 12th and Marshall.

Julie Møller Sanford, 1953 School of Medicine alumna.

During senior year at Boston College, Valerie Hunt, Ph.D., RN, applied and was accepted to three graduate nursing programs. Her options? Stay in her native New England, move across the country to California, or head south to Virginia.

Dr. Hunt’s final decision, she says, was largely due to the positive influence of one professor from her junior year who had attended the VCU School of Nursing and spoke very highly of her experience at the school.

“It started with that professor. She made a big impression on me, so VCU was the one I chose,” said Dr. Hunt, a nurse of 50 years.

I wanted to support the VCU School of Nursing because it will continue to provide an education to future nurses who are going to be leaders, educators and expert clinicians.

Valerie Hunt, Ph.D., RN 

With the help of scholarship funds, Dr. Hunt completed a two-year master’s program in nursing at VCU during which she fell in love with the natural beauty of the state and appreciated the diversity she encountered on the MCV Campus.

“I made a lot of wonderful friends, the school and faculty were great, and there was a sense of belonging for everybody,” she said.

These experiences made it easy for Dr. Hunt to decide to support the school that helped her find a successful and fulfilling career in nursing. Dr. Hunt and her husband have created a charitable gift annuity to support the VCU School of Nursing. She and her husband both found the entire process easy to navigate.

“I wanted to support the VCU School of Nursing because it will continue to provide an education to future nurses who are going to be leaders, educators and expert clinicians,” Dr. Hunt said. “And just like I had the opportunity to be in a strong program, I want to see that go forward for others.”

In addition, Dr. Hunt said, “Setting up a charitable gift annuity provides a benefit to the school, but also a benefit to the individual who makes the contribution.” She and her husband will receive income for the rest of their lives, and the joy in knowing that their gift will provide future support to the School of Nursing.

“It’s wonderful to give a gift that will have such positive results,” Dr. Hunt said.

Dr. Hunt currently teaches nursing and health administration in the graduate nursing program at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. She has also served as the associate dean at Regis and in additional executive leadership positions, for which she credited the School of Nursing as having prepared her.

“I feel proud of the background I have,” Dr. Hunt said, “And I believe that the graduate program prepared me for that.”

If you would like to learn about charitable gift annuities or other ways to make a planned gift in support of the School of Nursing, please contact Ann Deppman, J.D., assistant vice president of planned giving for Virginia Commonwealth University, at deppmana@vcu.edu or 804-828-7370.

Valerie Hunt, Ph.D., RN, was inspired by a college professor to attend VCU School of Nursing for her masters and today, she and her husband are giving back to the school she credits as having prepared her for her nursing career of 50 years. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hunt.

When she’s not busy inspiring students, Dr. Hunt is a also proud mother and grandmother. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hunt.