When philanthropist Genevieve Murphy decided to honor her late husband J.D. Murphy Jr. in a truly meaningful way, she immediately thought of MedStar Washington Hospital Center for a variety of reasons.
"I am making this living and learning gift in honor of my late husband, J.D. Murphy Jr., who was a grateful MedStar Washington Hospital Center heart patient. J.D. maintained strong ties to the hospital as a board member, a past chair of the philanthropy committee, and friend to many nurses and doctors," she says.
As the founder and president of an international information technology company, he had a lifelong love of learning. "He knew that even the most sophisticated technology was only as good as the people who were trained to use it," she adds.
All of this led to the establishment of the J.D. Murphy Jr. Cardio-Oncology Fellowship at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, funded by a generous $500,000 gift.
The hospital's cardio-oncology program, founded by Ana Barac, MD, was the first in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region to offer specialized cardiac care for patients with cancer. It focuses on protecting the hearts of patients undergoing cancer treatment and improving overall cancer survivorship.
"Today's cancer treatments help patients live longer, healthier lives, but some have unintended cardiovascular side effects for those with heart disease or who are at risk for the condition. Our goal is to treat and protect the heart at every stage of cancer treatment and beyond, and shepherd each patient through successful treatment," said Dr. Barac. "We are so grateful for this generous gift, as we now have a fellowship to help educate and train the leaders of tomorrow, in promoting the cardiovascular health in patients with cancer."