Early last year, Dr. Ben Musher received an email from the wife of a patient who had unfortunately passed away after battling pancreatic cancer. In gratitude for the care Dr. Musher had provided her husband, the woman wanted to make a donation supporting Dr. Musher’s pancreatic cancer research.
Dr. Musher, grateful for her words and her support, referred the patient’s wife to Isabel Flame, who leads Baylor’s Grateful Patient Program. He mentioned to Ms. Flame that, based on her past giving (which had been modest), this gift would most likely be similar. Dr. Musher requested that the donor receive assistance navigating Baylor’s donation webpage so that her experience would be as pleasant and seamless as possible.
Ms. Flame agreed to assist. In speaking to the patient’s wife, Ms. Flame reiterated just how grateful the College was for her generosity.
“I’m not giving a life-changing amount,” said the patient’s wife.
Ms. Flame replied, “No matter the amount, you are paying it forward so that, one day, another person won’t have to go through what you did.”
Then the truth came to light. The patient’s wife was donating $50,000 to support Dr. Musher’s work; furthermore, she mentioned a matching gift involving a former Baylor Board of Trustees member, bringing the total amount to $100,000.
Such a generous gift is not typically made through a website, so the Office of Advancement was mobilized to assist. Through the process, the patient’s wife committed an additional $40,000, bringing the total donation to $140,000. The patient’s wife shared how she was able to give such a generous gift.
Before his diagnosis, her husband had already made thoughtful decisions to ensure that his wife and sons would be financially secure in case anything happened to him. He and his family didn’t live large, but they were comfortable due to his stable and well-paying job. He also had a life insurance policy so that his wife would have additional resources to support herself and pay for their sons’ education.
After his passing, the patient’s wife and their sons decided to honor the patient’s life by supporting Dr. Musher’s pancreatic cancer research. In addition to helping others suffering from pancreatic cancer, this family’s act of generosity and gratitude has helped them heal from the loss of their loved one.
