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Medical Missionaries
Michelle Seaton
08/01/2005
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Donors’ involvement often changes over time, as personal and
financial circumstances allow. Malin Burnham, founder of Burnham Real Estate,
started out 25 years ago as a board member of the La Jolla (Calif.) Cancer
Research Foundation. He ended up having the organization renamed after him.
“When I joined the board, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I wasn’t
thinking that far ahead. I just knew that this jewel of an organization was
unknown, and I thought I could help,” Burnham recalls. He became what he refers
to as head cheerleader for the scientists at the cancer center. He gave money,
found donors and did what he did in his business—forge beneficial
relationships.
| For any family, seeing a member suffer from an illness is a life-altering event. What comes from that is a mission, a sense that something must be
done. |
In 1996, the research foundation expanded its mission
beyond cancer and created a center to study neuroscience and aging, as well
as inflammatory diseases. The center needed new researchers, a new direction, a
new endowment—and a new name.
“We are a conservative family. We do not like
to hang our names on buildings,” says Burnham, who explains that the center was
given a polite ultimatum by another major donor who insisted on remaining
anonymous. That donor would match Burnham’s gift only on the condition that the
institute be renamed after the Burnham family. The board agreed and, after some
thought, so did Burnham.
“I have the satisfaction that by helping to build
this organization with my mental abilities and financially, by bringing in other
donors and other resources, I’ve helped the researchers accelerate their discoveries. There are seven or eight new drugs in the marketplace. If that can
save lives or improve the quality of life for people who have these diseases,
then it’s an untold satisfaction for me,” he adds. “I can’t measure it, but it’s
certainly there.”
Michelle Seaton is a senior correspondent for Worth. mdseaton@rcn.com.
Illustration by Maria Rendon.
Additional Information:
 Charity Begins Abroad.
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