PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network announced a historic $25 million gift today from James R. “Jim” Fitterling, executive chairman and former president and CEO of Dow Inc., to support cancer research, clinical innovation and patient care.
In recognition of the donation, the largest philanthropic investment in AHN history, the AHN Cancer Center and its more than 35 clinical locations will be officially rebranded as the AHN James R. Fitterling Cancer Center.
The gift will support eight high-priority initiatives across the network, which serves more than 11,000 patients each year. The funding also establishes an endowed chair in oncology to help recruit and retain leading academic talent.
AHN President Mark Sevco praised the contribution for providing resources to expand treatment options for patients facing complex diagnoses.
“Jim’s extraordinary generosity is a powerful investment in the future of cancer care at AHN and in the patients and families who turn to us for hope when they receive a cancer diagnosis,” Sevco said. “This historic gift will give our clinicians and researchers additional resources to pursue new discoveries, expand innovative treatment options and build upon our commitment to providing exceptional cancer care, particularly for patients facing complex diagnoses.”
For Fitterling, the gift stems from his personal experience with the health network. Nearly two decades ago, he was diagnosed with stage IV appendiceal cancer, a rare malignancy capable of spreading throughout the abdominal cavity. He became a patient of surgical oncologist Dr. David L. Bartlett in 2008.
As part of his care, Fitterling underwent two cytoreductive surgeries with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The complex procedure involves surgically removing visible tumors before circulating heated chemotherapy through the abdomen to target remaining cancer cells.
Fitterling praised the care he received under Bartlett and expressed hope for future cancer patients.
“When you’re facing a cancer diagnosis, having the right physician, the right treatment and a reason to hope can make all the difference. I know that firsthand because of the extraordinary care I received from Dr. Bartlett,” Fitterling said. “My hope is that this gift will help accelerate research and discovery so that more patients have access to innovative treatment options and the best chance of a successful outcome.”
Fitterling has also supported the Susan J. and David L. Bartlett, MD Cancer Research Fund.
Bartlett, director of the AHN Cancer Center, highlighted the importance of translating research into treatments.
“Jim understands the stakes and knows that the greatest advances in cancer care happen when we have the ability to turn promising ideas into meaningful treatment options for patients,” Bartlett said. “His incredible generosity will give our physicians and researchers the resources to pursue bold new approaches, accelerate discoveries and develop treatments that could change what’s possible for patients and families facing cancer.”
Dr. Bethany Casagranda, chief medical officer of AHN, said the donation strengthens team-based care for patients.
“Exceptional cancer care requires more than treating a disease. It means caring for the whole person and bringing together the right physicians, scientists, nurses and support teams around each patient,” Casagranda said. “Jim’s remarkable gift will strengthen our ability to do that by helping us attract and retain exceptional clinicians and researchers while advancing the innovative care they provide. Ultimately, investments like this allow us to build stronger teams, create new possibilities for patients and deliver better experiences and outcomes for the people and families we serve.”
The $25 million gift targets eight priorities across research, clinical care and patient assistance. Academic recruitment will be supported through the endowed chair in oncology. The Biomarker Moonshot initiative will enroll an additional 10,000 patients in biospecimen research, while AI-supported multi-omics analysis involving 1,000 patients will help identify treatment targets.
Therapeutic research initiatives include launching five novel cell therapy clinical trials involving 100 patients over five years, as well as five novel trials over five years targeting appendix and peritoneal cancers. Researchers will also work to develop a personalized cancer vaccine and a T-cell immunotherapy from early engineering through human clinical trials.
The donation also expands AHN’s Community Cancer Patient Ambassador Program and related navigation services across network locations.
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