When Randi and Joel Cutler first heard about early plans for what would become the future Dana-Farber Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Collaboration (Collaboration), they knew immediately they wanted to be part of it. “The concept is brilliant, between two world-class organizations,” says Joel. “It’s a hand-in-glove partnership.” The unique effort unites Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to redefine the delivery of cancer care in New England—and beyond. The Cutlers’ confidence in the initiative ultimately led them to generously give $2 million to be shared equally between the two organizations—the first-ever joint gift in support of these two Harvard teaching institutions.

The Cutlers’ gift created the Culture and Collaboration Initiative, which has already been—and will continue to be—integral in further developing relationships between the teams at Dana-Farber, BIDMC, and BIDMC’s affiliated physician organization, Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians. The idea to foster culture was the Cutlers’, as they have seen firsthand the impact of collaboration in their personal and professional experiences. “From the very first meeting, we were blown away,” says Randi. “Everyone was in lockstep, and they set the tone.” The couple has graciously hosted events in their homes, and their gift will enable staff engagement activities, learning series, and town hall gatherings.

This gift comes at a pivotal time. Following rigorous evaluation by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), including an Independent Cost Analysis commissioned by DPH, showing that the Collaboration would be beneficial to the region, the state’s Public Health Council voted unanimously to approve Dana-Farber’s Determination of Need application for a new dedicated adult inpatient cancer hospital. The Boston Planning and Development Agency Board (BPDA) then voted unanimously to approve the designs for the 300-bed hospital. BPDA’s approval is the culmination of a rigorous, 18-month project review process and reflects the Collaboration’s tremendous potential to provide lifesaving care to countless patients. The shared vision is to build a hospital located at One Joslin Place in the Longwood Medical Area that is solely dedicated to oncology care—the only hospital of its kind in the region. Spanning 450,000 square feet with 10 inpatient floors, the Future Cancer Hospital will connect the BIDMC and Dana-Farber campuses to provide a seamless patient experience.

Looking to the future, the impact of the Collaboration cannot be overstated—and philanthropy will continue to be vital. For the Cutlers, giving back is a responsibility they take seriously. “This hospital, and this collaboration, will provide the gold standard of cancer care,” says Joel, a member of the Board of Trustees at BIDMC. Adds Randi: “The impact will be tremendous because it’s two remarkable organizations working together to make it so.” 

If you are interested in learning more or making a gift, contact Noreen Mitchell, VP, Philanthropy, BIDMC at Noreen.Mitchell@bilh.org.

Make a gift online to BIDMC.