UMass Chan Giving

11/21/2025

Firefighters face unique physical and mental health risks.

UMass Chan Medical School and the Last Call Foundation are working together to bridge the gap between care providers and the fire service through research, education and advocacy.

“By building knowledge that can be replicated and serve as a model for others, there’s potential for monumental change in the fire service,” said Jason Burns, executive director of the Last Call Foundation and a Fall River firefighter. https://www.umassmed.edu/giving/impact/stories-of-giving/2025/05/last-call-foundation/

While firefighters risk their lives each day on the job responding to emergencies, they also face long-term health risks due to repeated exposure to toxic chemicals and other hazards. To help care providers better recognize, understand and treat the distinct physical and mental health impacts of the...

11/13/2025

We recently spoke with Jane Lizotte, who initiated Shrewsbury’s Turkey Trot for the Memory in honor of her father, the Honorable Francis P. O'Connor, following his passing from Alzheimer’s disease in 2007.

A generous portion of funds raised through the 2024 event are supporting the research of Honghuang Lin, PhD, professor of medicine and co-director of the Program in Digital Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School.

Learn more about this growing Thanksgiving tradition and how it unites a community to take a stand against Alzheimer’s disease.

Since 2011, Shrewsbury’s Turkey Trot for the Memory has united the local community on Thanksgiving morning to run or walk in support of people and families facing Alzheimer's disease.

10/29/2025

Jean A. Frazier, MD, immediate past executive director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMass Chan, has dedicated her career to improving the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism and behavioral health disorders—work inspired by her beloved sister, Carol.

To honor Carol’s life and Dr. Frazier’s legacy, the Carol Frazier Fund has been established to support the Shriver Center’s vision of advancing inclusion, wellness and opportunity for people with disabilities.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/UYCq50Xk2lb

UMass Chan Medical School Shriver Center/UMass Chan Medical School

The Carol Frazier Fund offers a flexible, ongoing stream of support to advance the Shriver Center’s vision of maximizing inclusion, freedom and wellness for people with disabilities, under the guidance of the executive director.

10/21/2025

Joan Vitello-Cicciu, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAHA, FAAN, dean of the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, has established a new award in memory of her late husband, Gerald (Jerry) Cicciu, a lifelong supporter of nurses and innovator in medical device sales and development.

The Cicciu Nursing Excellence in Interprofessional Leadership Award will recognize an outstanding master’s level nursing student at UMass Chan Medical School who has demonstrated leadership skills within an interprofessional context.

As the only nursing school in Massachusetts embedded within a medical school, the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing is uniquely positioned to prepare nurses to lead interprofessional teams and shape the future of health care.

Learn more about the award and the inspiring story behind it.
https://ow.ly/QGyr50XfOFP

10/15/2025

The Department of Family Medicine & Community Health at UMass Chan Medical School is celebrating its 50th anniversary—and an impactful legacy in family medicine education and patient-centered primary care.

Illuminating the milestone year is a new fund honoring the department’s former chair, Daniel H. Lasser, MD, MPH, which will boost efforts to train the next generation of family physicians and pursue innovations in medical education and practice.

The department was the first of its kind in New England and a founding department at the Medical School, with a massive educational footprint that has left an indelible mark on primary care in Massachusetts.

Of the more than 2,500 active licensed family physicians in Massachusetts, one in five completed their medical education at UMass Chan, touching the lives of countless individuals and families throughout the commonwealth.

Read more about the department’s extraordinary legacy: https://www.umassmed.edu/giving/impact/stories-of-giving/2025/05/family-medicine-50th-anniversary-and-lasser-fund/

10/03/2025

The Central Massachusetts community filled Polar Park on Sunday, Sept. 28, for the 27th annual UMass Cancer Walk. Thousands of participants gathered to honor loved ones, celebrate survivors and raise vital funds to directly sustain cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan.

The 27th annual UMass Cancer Walk at Polar Park raised more than $450,000 to support cancer research and clinical trials at UMass Chan.

09/19/2025

Nine faculty members were honored and invested as endowed professors at UMass Chan Medical School's annual Convocation and Investiture ceremony.

Four faculty members were honored with chancellor's medals at the annual Convocation and Investiture ceremony.

09/03/2025

The Angel Fund for ALS Research "is like a backbone and not just financially, but also by creating awareness and all these community outreach events that they do. We’re so incredibly grateful for their support,” said PhD student Sushmita Nayak in this video highlighting ALS research at UMass Chan.

08/19/2025

The Gates Foundation is awarding UMass Chan Medical School faculty $3 million to conduct research aimed at improving pregnancy outcomes and gut health in women from low- and middle-income countries.

The two awards will help fund research aimed at improving pregnancy outcomes in women from low- and middle-income countries.

08/13/2025

The Remillard Family Community Service Fund has announced the recipients of funding for its 2025 cycle, awarding 11 grants to support innovative projects led by UMass Chan Medical School faculty, residents, staff and students that address social determinants of health and equitable and affordable access to care, and support developing and expanding community outreach programs.

Established at the Medical School in 2015 with a $3 million donation by the Remillard Family Foundation, the fund is dedicated to providing ongoing support for community outreach programs.

A total of $164,410 in grants of up to $20,000 each was awarded for this year’s projects.

Eleven teams of medical students, faculty members, residents and staff are the recipients of the 2025 Remillard Family Community Service Fund grants.

08/11/2025

Philanthropy powers discovery. Thanks to the generosity of The Angel Fund for ALS Research, scientists at UMass Chan are making critical progress toward understanding and treating ALS. Learn why Daryl Bosco, PhD, says this support matters now more than ever.

07/24/2025

Alumni from classes ending in 0s and 5s returned to UMass Chan this May to celebrate Reunion 2025. 🎉

The Class of 1975 marked their milestone 50th Reunion, while the Class of 2000 had the largest turnout, with more than half the class reconnecting on campus.

Find out who received the 2025 Alumni Distinguished Service Award and browse Reunion photos:

Alumni from celebrating classes, which included those ending in 0s and 5s, returned to UMass Chan Medical School on May 3 for Reunion 2025.