Dozier Gardner Family Announces Gift to Establish Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

$5 million gift will support cancer research priorities based on institute president’s initiatives

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Trustee, M. Dozier Gardner, along with his wife and family, have made a $5 million gift to Dana-Farber to establish the Dozier Gardner Family Fund in support of the Presidential Initiatives Fund. This gift offers flexible support for Dana-Farber President and CEO Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, to direct toward cancer research priorities, and provides powerful momentum toward the Institute's comprehensive campaign, currently in the quiet phase. 

The Presidential Initiatives Fund enables progress and keeps Dana-Farber a leader in innovation. It also encourages strategic risk-taking for researchers, with funding deployed for experimentation and new ideas as they reach critical inflection points. The fund gives Glimcher agility and flexibility to maintain and grow Dana-Farber’s distinguished faculty and address urgent needs, overcome challenges, maximize opportunities, and maintain standards of excellence.

“We are so thankful for the continuous generosity of the Dozier Gardner Family. This gift enables Institute leadership to address strategic initiatives and further research advancements -- when and where it is most needed,” said Glimcher

“I became seriously involved with Dana-Farber because both of my parents died of cancer in their 50s,” said Gardner. “It has remained my conviction over the years I have served as a Dana-Farber Trustee that innovative research, both basic and applied, will produce therapies to reduce the terrible social burden of this disease.”

Dozier Gardner joined the Dana-Farber Board of Trustees in 1978. He served as Chairman of the Board from 1981-1985 and has also served as Board Vice Chairman. Dozier and his wife, Sandy, are members and former Chairs of the Dana-Farber Society (1998-2009). The Dana-Farber Society honors those who have included a legacy gift for Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund by bequest, beneficiary designation, life income arrangement, gift of property, or other planned gift. Dozier is also the former Vice Chairman, President, and CEO of Eaton Vance Corporation, an investment management firm.