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Letter from Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.From the April 2009 issue of UCHC e-Link.
One of the most interesting aspects of my position at the UConn Health Center is meeting the thousands of people affected by the work we do here. From our patients to our students, and from state leaders to nationally known researchers, the work completed at the Health Center changes lives and gives us hope for a better tomorrow. I recently had a chance to meet some people who have shown their support for that work by making a leadership-level gift to support us. On March 31, the UConn Foundation’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations sponsored a reception for these donors (RELATED STORY: Leadership Reception photos). I thoroughly enjoyed meeting many of them, hearing their stories, and sharing with them what makes this organization what it is today. Some donors had given more than others, but they all shared an intense passion for what the Health Center meant to them. I heard from a couple who were happy to give after they received excellent care at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. I met a community group raising money to honor the memory of a loved one. And I talked to donors supporting the UConn Health Center through planned giving. Particularly today, in this busy, constantly changing state environment, it’s vital to remember that the thousands of donors who give to the Health Center every year do so because they have a vision. We have an organizational vision as well, and our success in fundraising comes when we are able to align the donors’ visions with ours. In this issue of UCHC e-Link, you’ll see examples of that philanthropic vision, hear about some of the work our alumni are doing, read about some of the latest research, education and clinical care news from the Health Center, and much more. I would also like to welcome Dina Plapler, our new associate vice president for development at the Office of Development and Alumni Relations (RELATED STORY: Dina Plapler). I look forward to working with Dina to help even more donors witness their philanthropic vision become a reality. My best to you for a wonderful spring. Sincerely, Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D. |
