Gift Supports Family Lodge, Honors Sister

As the warm weather slowly turns colder, the hustle and bustle of fall begins. During this flurry of activity, make sure you take time to pause and reflect on those who have supported you in times of need. It is now time to pay it forward with a gift that can improve health and save lives.

A charitable gift to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) can help the courageous adult patients participating in essential medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center and their loved ones through support of the Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge (Family Lodge). Although she has never stayed at the Family Lodge, Jamie Boyd of Richmond, Virginia, supports it by donating to the FNIH each year in memory of her sister, Sara Elizabeth Cooper.

“My sister was diagnosed with lymphoma at age 16, and unfortunately passed away shortly after her 17th birthday,” reflects Jamie. “Our family stayed in a hotel for three months so that we could be close to her during her treatment. Going through that experience, I know what a treasure the Family Lodge is, as it enables families to be close to their loved ones on the NIH campus with a home away from home while they receive expert care.”

For most patients, taking part in medical research is their last chance to find a new, potentially life-saving therapy to fight their disease. During this stressful time, the Family Lodge and its dedicated staff provide a safe haven for families to recharge after a long day with all of the amenities of home, including spacious guest rooms, a kitchen, library, fitness and business centers, and beautiful gardens.

You, too, can help by paying it forward. Your personal commitment to biomedical science ensures that the FNIH can continue to support these brave patients and their families and its ongoing work to build new scientific understanding through programs that can assist in preventing and treating disease and disability. Please consider joining others by making a gift to the FNIH today that can lead to better health for individuals and families nationwide.

If you have questions, please contact the Advancement department at advancement@fnih.org or (301) 402-5343.

“When I give to the FNIH, I am honoring these inspiring individuals and their contributions to society while paying it forward for the help my family received when my sister was sick. The NIH provides hope—that through the selfless work of the world’s best and brightest minds in research, the disease that took my sister will be eradicated and no other families will have to go through that experience. My donation through the FNIH makes me feel like I am part of the solution and providing hope to and for others.”
—Jamie Boyd