Inova receives $20 million gift from the Peterson Family to support critical needs

Fairfax, VA, April 16, 2024 –  Inova today announced a transformational gift of $20 million from the Peterson Family, longtime Inova supporters. This donation will provide funding for two critical needs, with $15 million going to Inova Life with Cancer, and $5 million to support the expansion of the Inova Fairfax Emergency Room.

“We are deeply grateful to the Peterson Family for building on their remarkable leadership and legacy with this latest transformational gift to support Life with Cancer and our much-needed renovation at our Inova Fairfax Emergency Room,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, President and CEO, Inova. “Their generous support has made a significant impact over the past three decades and will continue to impact our community for decades to come.”

Over the past 30 years, the Peterson Family has generously given more than $50 million to Inova, including this latest transformational gift, providing long-term sustainability for best-in-class cancer care. In recognition of their remarkable investments, the program will be renamed Inova Peterson Life with Cancer.

The Peterson Family’s legacy is foundational to Life with Cancer. In 1988, Carolyn and Milt Peterson helped create the nationally recognized program which provides psychosocial and education support at no cost for individuals and their families impacted by cancer in our region and beyond. In 1998, the Peterson Family hosted the first-ever Lobster Extravaganza in their backyard to benefit Life with Cancer. Since then, the highly anticipated annual event has raised more than $20 million. In 2014, the Peterson Family made a historic $10 million gift, the first eight-figure gift to Inova, which has inspired others to give. The family has continued to play a key role in sustaining the Life with Cancer program since Milt passed away in 2021.

“We are deeply proud of the tremendous impact that Life with Cancer has had for the community over the past 36 years, and it means so much to our family to be able to support and help ensure its future impact as well,” said Lauren Peterson.

“We felt it was important to support the Inova Fairfax Emergency Room project, given the important role it plays in our entire community’s health,” added Jon and Rick Peterson.

The $5 million contribution to the Fairfax Emergency Room, the 4th busiest ER in the nation and Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, will support a critically needed expansion designed to meet surging demands of emergency care in the region. The redesigned ER will feature more beds for patient privacy, a new EmPATH unit to create a more wholistic experience for Behavioral Health patients, and a thoughtful family environment and dedicated entrance for pediatric emergencies, all reflective of enhancing Inova’s state-of-the-art emergency care.

“It means a great deal to us all that Inova Peterson Life with Cancer now bears the name of a family who has done so much to build and sustain this program that is a lifeline to patients and families facing cancer,” said Sage Bolte, PhD, LCSW, CST, FAOSW, Chief Philanthropy Officer and President of Inova Health Foundation. “In addition, we are grateful for the Peterson Family’s philanthropic investment in the Fairfax Emergency Room expansion, which is essential to meeting the growing demand for emergency healthcare in Northern Virginia.”

Because of their deep relationship with Dwight and Martha Schar, the Peterson family was inspired to step forward with yet another transformative contribution to Inova following the Schar’s landmark $75 million gift in May 2023 and their community challenge to match their investment by May 2024.

Media Contact: Tracy Connell, tracy.connell@inova.org, 703-674-9357

About Inova                                                              

We are Inova, Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. With expertise and compassion, we partner with our patients to help them stay healthy. We treat illness, heal injury and look at a patient’s whole health to help them flourish. Through our expansive network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, and outpatient services, Inova provides care for more than one million unique patients every year.  Total patient visits exceed four million annually, demonstrating our ability to deliver the best clinical care and ensuring a seamless experience for all who rely on us for their healthcare needs. Consistently ranked and recognized as a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and patient experience, Inova’s world-class care is made possible by the strength and breadth of our network, our 24,000 team members, our technology and our innovation. Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and provides high-quality healthcare to every person in every community we are privileged to serve – regardless of ability to pay – every day of their life. More information about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.