The Shuster Patient Support Fund's Fundraising Page

It has been my sincere pleasure and honor to work with so many wonderful patients, caring nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, and staff members over these last 35 years. To sum it up in a word, I could say that my professional life has been a "gift." My life has been drawn to the care of cancer patients since I was in nursing school in the early 70's. I have "grown up" with cancer care. Through the years, even with all of the improvements in care we have made, cancer is still a scary word. What I have loved most is to listen to patients' stories. It has been an absolute privilege to be one of the caretakers to whom many have turned, sometimes for medical advice, sometimes for acceptance, sometimes a hug or a smile, sometimes for validation that their life and perhaps their death means something to someone. And through each and every patient, I learned lessons that have helped me to be a better person: that "being there" is often more important than the words you say and, that despite lessons in "professional behavior," it really is "ok" to make yourself vulnerable to a person's joy and their pain. 

What I have also learned is the need for financial assistance for our patients. Together, John and I have decided that as I retire, we wanted to leave a lasting legacy for the patients of DFCCC and to that end, have made a significant donation to establish the Shuster Patient Support Fund, to give direct support to patients and families who are facing financial hardship due to their cancer diagnosis. Funds may be used to assist patients with everyday expenses such as groceries, utilities, transportation, child care, and short term lodging. This immediate assistance gives patients and families the relief they need so they can focus on their treatment and care. We would like to ask that if you would want to honor me in any way for the work I have done with our patients over the years that you would make a donation in my honor to this fund. I would challenge you to help me get this fund over $100,000 dollars before year's end when I leave DFCCC.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have taught the "art" as well as the "science" of oncology care. It is a special person who works with cancer patients, we are all made special by the folks that touch our lives so deeply. I need no further accolades but would want you to feel that your gift to this fund is indeed a gift for all of us. 

You can easily make an online gift by clicking the red "Give" button on the top of this page. Should you wish to make a gift by check, please make your check payable to Dana-Farber Community Cancer Care, listing "Shuster Patient Support Fund" in the memo field. 

Checks may be mailed to:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Attn: Elizabeth Patterson
Division of Development and the Jimmy Fund
10 Brookline Place West, 6th FL
Brookline, MA 02445

To make a gift over the phone with a credit card, please call Elizabeth Patterson at (617) 632-6597.