How it was Inspired

Judy and Richard’s first contact with the James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute was unforgettable. Their first appointment at the Cancer Institute was to hear a second opinion on treatments for Judy’s cancer. This first experience made them understand what a special place it is.

Prior to the appointment with their primary oncologist, they met with an oncology fellow, a physician seeking additional training to become a specialist in a particular form of cancer. During that visit, Judy had more questions. The fellow closed his folder, sat back, and said, “I have all the time in the world for you.” Those words are still clearly etched in Richard’s mind, and he remembers that it was then he knew the Wilmot Cancer Institute was the right place for Judy to receive her treatment and care.

Today, the James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute is where Richard has decided to make a difference in the lives of others who face cancer. When he asked how he could use philanthropy to make a significant impact, he learned about the need to create a clinic in the Cancer Survivorship Program to help patients who have completed their cancer treatment maximize their quality of life.

For this reason Richard set out to establish Judy’s Fund: Hope For Cancer Survivors in the fall of 2012. In the spring of 2013 the Judy DiMarzo Survivorship Program was named. The clinic will educate patients, as well as primary care physicians about the after-effects of treatment, the specific vulnerabilities which may result, including recurrence, secondary malignancies, and emotional effects while also providing treatment programs to improve the quality of life for the cancer survivorship community.

This gift begins to provide the needed resources for all cancer survivors in the region. Together with a group of committed friends, Richard’s goal is to increase support for cancer survivors by raising additional funds for Judy’s Fund through community-based efforts.