A Daughter’s Gratitude

When Ellen Tobey’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, Tobey knew she was going to need help. Her mother, Patricia Anderson, lived in Denver, more than 1,600 miles away from her only daughter in Charlottesville, Va.

“It became evident very quickly that Mom was going to need extensive care and treatment that I couldn’t provide from across the country,” she remembers. Luckily, Tobey knew who she should turn to.

For three years, Tobey had been the director of marketing for the UVA Health System’s gastroenterology department. She knew the level of care the Health System provided its patients and she wanted her mother treated where she had friends and family to help her.

But even Tobey, with her insider knowledge of UVA, was surprised by the level of care her mother received.

“There were 20 doctors on my mother’s team from the Breast Care Center and the Cancer Center. Each one contributed immeasurably to her care. It was a great experience for both of us, and Mom sailed through her treatments," Tobey remembers. "Dr. Schroen and Dr. Fracasso truly love what they do, and treatment was given in the most loving and respectful manner to my elderly mother who faced a mascetomy at the age of 82. No words can express how much this means to me.”

To express her gratitude, Tobey decided to make a gift that could help future patients and their families. She and her husband, Robert, committed a generous bequest to the UVA Cancer Center to create an endowed lectureship fund.

When established, the Anderson-Tobey Lectureship in Emerging Cancer Therapies will provide for an annual forum for Cancer Center doctors, nurses, researchers, and students to come together with members of the public to explore ideas that have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

As a former employee of the Health System, Tobey knew how important such a gift could be.

“Many people choose to give to building projects, or for research equipment, because they are tangible, permanent things,” she explains. “However, a lectureship can help create an environment of change for the better. It supports the intellectual experience at UVA, which leads to better treatments and more options for patients.”

By bringing together people committed to fighting cancer, this planned gift will speed the pace of innovation and discovery at UVA. It also serves as a powerful expression of the gratitude felt by the Tobey family.

“It’s amazing to realize that some of the finest medical treatment in the nation can be found right here in our own backyard,” Tobey says. “I hope our gift provides additional resources in the fight against cancer and helps ensure others experience the same positive outcome our family did.”