A Show of Brotherly Love

John Click knew that he would keep a promise he made to his late brother, David. In the mid-1990s, David was stricken with esophageal cancer. Frustrated by the bureaucratic and impersonal medical care provided for his younger brother elsewhere, Click directed him to City of Hope for treatment. After a prolonged struggle with the disease, David died.

John Click honored his brother by giving a charitable gift annuity to City of Hope.

Throughout David’s stay at City of Hope, he told Click that he did not feel like he was in a hospital, but instead felt at home and comforted. Click recalled fond memories about the thoughtfulness of the nurses and physicians who cared for his brother, including I. Benjamin Paz, M.D., director of the Department of General Oncologic Surgery. “We lived in Desert Hot Springs back then, so our commute was long. Dr. Paz would take that into account when scheduling treatments, making sure we’d avoid traffic,” Click said. He also remembered his brother’s instructions to someday contribute to City of Hope to support the institution.

Click made good on his promise. He began by making City of Hope the beneficiary of his IRA in 1997. Then, after selling his home in 2006, Click donated $200,000 to City of Hope through a gift annuity, which produced annual income. Not only did he honor his brother’s wishes, but he made a smart financial move as well. “It was a good deal for me. I earn eight percent a year for life, and it has tax advantages, too,” he said.

The donation to City of Hope will benefit crucial research into serious diseases, which pleases Click. “Maintaining research is important,” he said. “That’s what might produce the next cure.” And because his gift annuity is unrestricted, the institution may apply the funds to where they can do the most good.

John Click resides in Calimesa, Calif. He grew up in Lone Pine, Calif., and enjoys many interests related to mountain life. His hobbies include racing cars. His favorites are the 1932 and 1936 model Fords.