President George W. Bush Headlines Record-Breaking Fundraiser for Inova Schar Cancer Institute

Dinner Raises more than $26 Million, Largest Single Night Non-Profit Fundraiser in DC area

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, MAY 18, 2018 – President George W. Bush and former White House advisor Karl Rove reunited Thursday to help raise more than $26 million for the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, setting a new record for a single-event non-profit fundraiser in the DC metro region.

The donations will help support a new highly personalized cancer research and treatment center on a 117-acre campus. Linking cutting-edge research to clinical treatment gives patients the full benefit of the latest advances in genomic and precision medicine while putting patients at the center of everything and all in one place.

The fundraising dinner, held at the Inova Center for Personalized Health and chaired by NVR, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Saville and his wife Linda, drew more than 225 guests. Former President Bush, who was interviewed by his former advisor at the event, has made the fight against cancer one of the priorities of his post-presidential activities.

“For the first time in history, we can say with some confidence that the war on cancer is winnable. Shortening the time, accelerating discoveries between research and treatment will help us get there,” Bush said.

Paul Saville expressed his gratitude to the night’s special guests and the generous donors.

“This event is an amazing display of what is possible when a community comes together to support a worthwhile endeavor,” he said. “The work of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute will give new hope to cancer patients throughout the Washington area and beyond. We are grateful to the community leaders whose generous philanthropic support has not only made this evening one for the history books, but one that will enable the Schar to continue its groundbreaking work.”

The Inova Schar Cancer Institute got its start in 2015, when Dwight Schar, Chairman of the Board of NRV, Inc., and his wife Martha, made a $50 million gift to Inova, the largest in the health system’s history. The institute will move into a new state-of-the-art facility on the campus of the Inova Center for Personalized Health in Falls Church, Virginia, in April 2019.

“When we made our gift three years ago, Martha and I were excited by Inova’s game-changing efforts in applying genomic sciences in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer,” said Dwight Schar.“ As Inova prepares to open the Inova Schar Cancer Institute next year, we are even more impressed by what our investment has enabled Inova to accomplish. We’re transforming Northern Virginia into a personalized cancer care destination for the global medical community.”

The Inova Schar Cancer Institute takes a team approach to treating cancer, giving patients direct access to the latest scientific advances, as well as therapeutic programs, psychologists and other specialists. The Schar’s renowned clinicians, researchers and emotional support experts work together to treat the whole patient, not just the disease.

“The Inova Schar Cancer Institute is transforming the traditional delivery of cancer care. It is changing the way cancer research, clinical treatments and support services interact, putting the patient at the epicenter of everything, said Dr. Donald “Skip” Trump, MD, CEO of Inova Schar Cancer Institute. “The funds raised during tonight’s dinner will enable the Schar to continue to recruit nationally-recognized clinician scientists; conduct advanced research and drug discovery; acquire state-of-the-art technologies; and expand emotional and community outreach initiatives.”

Media Contact: Tracy Connell; 703-289-2087

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About Inova:

Inova is a global leader in personalized health, which leverages precision medicine together with more patient-centric services to predict, prevent and treat disease, enabling individuals to live longer, healthier lives. At Inova, we serve more than 2 million people each year from throughout the Washington, DC, metro area and beyond.

We are shaping the future of health through our integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes.  Our commitment to health and wellness is further reflected in our sustainable practices. Inova is home to world-class researchers, expert medical specialists and renowned scientists, who are driving innovation to improve patient care, prevent disease and promote wellness. For more information, visit inova.org, or find Inova on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

4 Comments

  1. Sarah on May 26, 2018 at 7:53 am

    Great News!!

  2. Elizabeth on May 31, 2018 at 11:14 am

    AWESOME!!! THANK YOU DONORS!!!!

  3. Jackie on June 1, 2018 at 1:19 am

    What a wonderful time to be alive and thank you to all the extremely generous people out there that have the means, mindset and heart to invest in Inova’s , present and future innovations to help all mankind !

  4. SANDRA on June 2, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    AWESOME!!!

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