On May 1, City of Hope marked an extraordinary milestone: the 50th anniversary of our bone marrow transplant (BMT) program. What began in 1976 with just two physicians, three beds and a single successful transplant has grown into one of the largest and most successful BMT programs in the nation.
Over five decades, this program has helped redefine standards in patient care, survivorship and innovation. And, most importantly, it has saved thousands of lives.
Incredibly, that very first transplant recipient remained in remission for another 35 years. His one-year transplant anniversary — what he called his “second birthday”— sparked a beloved tradition that continues today. Every year at our BMT Reunion, thousands of survivors, families, donors and caregivers gather to celebrate those second birthdays and the enduring hope behind them. Hear from Stephen J. Forman, M.D., who cared for that first patient and many others since.
What many people don’t realize is how many institutions nearly gave up on this now lifesaving standard of care. In the 1970s, bone marrow transplantation was considered experimental, and many providers thought it was too risky to pursue. City of Hope faced that same uncertainty. But our board and leadership, especially then-CEO Ben Horowitz, saw the potential of this high-risk, high-reward endeavor. They persevered and, at a pivotal moment, a group of visionary business leaders decided to invest in our program. Their philanthropic partnership provided the resources needed to push forward — changing the course of medical history. Because of that early belief — and the generosity that followed — City of Hope became a national leader in BMT, giving more than 20,000 people a second chance at life. Today, donor support continues to advance BMT science and clinical trials, including newer approaches like pairing CAR T-cell therapy with BMT.
Innovations like these continue to improve outcomes and quality of life, but they are only part of the equation. Breakthroughs matter only if the people who need them can access them. Even in a modern and hyperconnected world, far too many patients are left behind because of where they live, their insurance or because knowledge of the latest innovations hasn't yet reached their physician. At City of Hope, philanthropy is helping us close that gap.
With donor support, we are expanding both where and how care is delivered. Today, our BMT expertise is available at every City of Hope cancer center across four states, and we continue to increase capacity through new facilities, including a newly opened cancer specialty hospital in Orange County, Calif., and a state-of-the-art surgical center under construction in Phoenix.
In addition to expanding physical capacity, we’ve also developed a new model for delivering clinical trials locally. Under this new model, we can rapidly and simultaneously open trials across all our clinical sites. These are just a few examples of how we’re transforming access. But we have more work to do.
As we look ahead, we want the success and expansion of our BMT program to be a model for how we deliver other paradigm-shifting advances — in early detection, integrative oncology, supportive care, survivorship and more.
Thank you to everyone who has walked alongside City of Hope over the past 50 years — our donors, clinicians, researchers, nurses and patients. Your generosity and commitment have helped transform bold ideas into lifesaving care, and your continued partnership will help ensure more patients receive the hope, healing and access they deserve.
Warmly,
Kristin J. Bertell
Chief Philanthropy Officer