Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute gets second largest gift ever

By Scott Allen, Globe Staff

Officials at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute today announced the second largest gift in the hospital's history: $30 million from a philanthropy dedicated to the memory of the longtime owners of the Boston Red Sox, Tom and Jean Yawkey.

The gift from the Yawkey Foundation will help pay for the first new patient care building in more than 30 years at Dana-Farber, the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, which is scheduled to open in 2011.

The Yawkey Foundation's endowment skyrocketed in value after the family sold the Red Sox in 2002, enabling the board to give away more than $150 million in the past five years, including $15 million for improved cancer care at Boston Medical Center and $25 million for Massachusetts General Hospital's Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care.

But Dana-Farber always had a special relationship with the late Tom and Jean Yawkey, who made the hospital's Jimmy Fund the official charity of the Red Sox back in 1953, and today's gift is the largest in foundation history.

"More than 50 years ago, Tom and Jean Yawkey and our founder Dr. Sidney Farber shared a vision of one day conquering cancer," said Dr. Edward J. Benz, Jr., president of Dana-Farber, in announcing the donation. "The Yawkey's longstanding support of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund has enabled us to move much, much closer to this goal and has helped save countless lives along the way."

The new 275,000 square foot outpatient treatment center to be constructed near the intersection of Brookline Ave and Jimmy Fund Way, will house 100 examination rooms, 150 beds for cancer treatment and a new front entrance for the entire Dana-Farber campus, located in the Longwood Medical Area.

Posted by Karen Weintraub at 10:49 AM

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