The Life with Cancer Board of Directors was established in 1987 by Nando DiFilippo, Life with Cancer’s founder.  At that time, Nando brought together a number of close family friends to form a core group of supporters who were tasked with raising funds to start a program in support of families dealing with cancer.  That program later became known as Life with Cancer, and the group of supporters he assembled in his wife’s memory became known as the Life with Cancer Board of Directors (the Board).  Since 1987, the Board has grown from five to 24 members as the program has developed. Besides engaging in fundraising activities to grow the program, the Board has become a significant voice in the Northern Virginia community advocating for the emotional and social needs of cancer patients and their loved ones.

• Relationship to Inova Health System
• Statement of Understanding and Responsibilities for Members of the Life with Cancer Board
• Life with Cancer Board Members

 

Relationship to Inova Health System

When Nando DiFillippo founded Life with Cancer, he made a generous contribution to the Inova Health System Foundation (Inova) to start the program, thus forming Life with Cancer as an Inova Health System program.  Inova has been instrumental in helping the program develop and prosper through the many excellent resources it has made available.  Inova continues to be very involved in the program with two employees on the Board, and through the partnership Life with Cancer has with the medical services personnel provided by Inova’s cancer program.   Additionally, all the funds raised by the Board are accounted for by the Inova Health System Foundation, which manages the funds in special accounts that are restricted to the mission of the program.

Statement of Understanding and Responsibilities for Members of the Life with Cancer Board

When the Board approves a new member as recommended by the Governance Committee, that individual is required to sign a statement of understanding regarding their responsibilities as a Board member.  That statement is as follows:

“In accepting the position as a Life with Cancer Board member, I am committed to upholding the following standards of membership and to do my best to promote the mission and goals of Life with Cancer:

1.   To learn about Life with Cancer’s mission and its programs and be an advocate in the community for the services it provides.
2.   To attend at least two meetings of the Board annually and as time permits serve on at least one working committee of the Board to further Life with Cancer’s mission.
3.   Based on a level appropriate to my own situation and preference, support Life with Cancer’s programs by participating in major gift campaigns, attending special events and by making an annual contribution.
4.   To engage in “friend-raising” by introducing and cultivating prospective donors to the mission of Life with Cancer.
5.   To provide personal guidance and business expertise either personally or by phone to assist Life with Cancer staff in formulating and carrying out its mission.
6.   To treat as confidential all Life with Cancer and/or Inova Health System documents and all issues discussed at Life with Cancer Board/Committee meetings.
7.   To avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest between my professional business and my role as a member of the Life with Cancer Board.”

Each Board member makes a statement of faith to be a partner with every other Board member to strive for the success of the program.  Life with Cancer trusts that each Board member will carry out the above agreement to the best of their ability.

Life with Cancer Board Members

Mrs. Karen Alcalde Mrs. Fern Bekenstein           Roy Beveridge, M.D.         Mrs. Pamela S. Culvahouse Mrs. Lauren Peterson Fellows Board Vice President         Mr. Gerry Gabrys Governance Committee Chair Mrs. Leah Gansler Mrs. Jean Ann Gililland Mr. Aldo Gonzalez Mr. Gordon Hay, MSW, MPA Life with Cancer Director Mr. Mark V. Hughes Mark Lowham Board Chair

John Moynihan, M.D. Medical Advisor                                Teresa Burke Murphy Mrs. Carolyn Peterson Chair Emeritus Andrea L. Portera Board Secretary Nicholas Robert, MD Medical Advisor Mrs. Marilou Serafin MacDonnell Chair Emeritus Mr. Paul Strokes Lydia Waters Thomas, Ph.D. Board Treasurer Ms. Roberta Walker Mr. Austin T. Williams III

 

 

 

For additional information about Life with Cancer’s Board of Directors, please contact Gordon Hay, Life with Cancer Director, at 703-698-2525.