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By Ronni Cranwell
In 2006, Mrs. Jean Jones’ life changed forever.
Her son, Darin, was involved in a motorcycle accident that required him to receive a small bowel transplant. He was cared for by Thomas Fishbein, MD, and Cal Matsumoto, MD, at the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, where Darin continues to receive annual checkups.
Years later, after another healthy visit with Darin, Mrs. Jones started thinking about giving back to the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute and the doctors who had saved her son’s life.
“I wanted our contributions to enable Drs. Fishbein and Matsumoto to provide transplant patients with ongoing medical care and peace of mind for the families they serve,” says Mrs. Jones.
“Darin was given a second chance over eight years ago,” she shares. “We felt so grateful, and had to do something. We wanted to make a difference for the Hospital and for others facing similar medical situations.”
As Mrs. Jones and her husband, Mr. Sam Jones, prepared their will, they contacted David Zwerski, assistant vice president at MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, and Ronni Cranwell, senior philanthropy officer at the Hospital, to discuss ways to honor the wonderful care their son received from Drs. Fishbein and Matsumoto.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones decided to leave a significant bequest to the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute.
Mrs. Jones has been an active volunteer at the Gift of Life Family House, a respite house where transplant patients and their families stay during recovery. The house, established by Howard M. Nathan in Philadelphia, is an example of how philanthropic investments can expand and enhance programs.
“My hope is that someday there will be a Gift of Life Family House in Georgetown to help future families,” she says. “We made it through a tough time thanks to some great doctors. This gift is our way of making sure others continue to get that care and support during such a difficult time.”
Make A Difference
To learn how you can make a difference, contact the Office of Philanthropy at MedStar Georgetown at
855-546-0947
