Medical Oncology Unit Named for Yaggy Society Members Fran & Mark Harris
Due to a long family history with GBMC, Mark and Fran Harris were well-acquainted with their community hospital when Fran was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2017. Through her 16-month treatment and subsequent stays at GBMC, both Mark and Fran felt fortunate to be able to receive outstanding care here. Today, their many gifts to GBMC stand as a testament to their profound gratitude.
After Fran died, Mark added a significant provision for GBMC to his estate plans. When he died, his philanthropic wishes were realized through a $1 million dollar bequest from his Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
Today, the Fran & Mark Harris Medical Oncology Unit is named in honor of these members of the GBMC family. This generous gift from Mark's IRA established the perpetual Fran and Mark Harris Cancer Research Fund in the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC.
Mark once said, "I hope it can help both the medical care and the non-medical care of future cancer patients." He went on, "Once, when Fran was getting chemo, there was a woman and her daughter at the next chair over. We got to talking. The mother was getting treatment, but the daughter had gotten chemo for another type of cancer at one of the big prominent hospitals in D.C. She commented on how much nicer the physical facility and the staff are at GBMC for folks who are getting chemo. Between the volunteers bringing you a snack or a drink, the nurses, the techs checking on you, making sure you're comfortable, getting you hooked up and getting your IVs running, etc. Her daughter's hospital in D.C. is a big medical center and medical school. For them to say that GBMC was doing a much better job at the holistic approach to treating cancer patients, that said something. That made an impact on us."
But Mark didn't need a testimonial to know their experience was special. He and his wife of more than 41 years appreciated the caring atmosphere of the staff as well as the quality of care.
"What I like at GBMC is the philosophy," Mark said. "It's on the marketing materials and in the ads, which is great, but you actually experience it when you're in the hospital. Even if you're just walking in the hallway from the parking lot to your doctor's office, it's just a different atmosphere than most hospitals. It's a whole different attitude. And then, when you get into the clinics and the units as an inpatient, it's a philosophy and an attitude that pervades the whole hospital."
An investment in GBMC is truly an investment in their community. Fran was born and raised in Ruxton. Mark was born in Aberdeen, MD, and though he traveled extensively as a self-proclaimed, "Army brat," he ultimately ended up back in Baltimore, making a home in Timonium with Fran after the two met, in the mid-1970s, as students at what was then Towson State College.
Their commitment to the neighborhood is central to their involvement — from their philanthropy at GBMC, leadership in the Timonium Optimist Club, Optimist International, and Fran's service on the Baltimore County School Board, as director of the Baltimore County Police and Community Relations Council and as president of a local youth services bureau.
The gift Mark made through his estate was not the couple's first to GBMC. The former emergency manager for the Maryland Department of Transportation always made an annual gift to support programs like the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) program at GBMC. He also contributed multiple charitable gift annuities and made a gift to GBMC's past capital campaigns.
"We wanted to start making an impact, and we've always liked GBMC," Mark said. "You can't take it with you, which is why donating the IRA money is great. If I need it, great. But whatever I don't need, GBMC gets."
Fran and Mark's legacy will live on at GBMC. The couple always had a fervent desire to give back to their community. Earlier in their lives, they focused on volunteering. As they found success in their careers and became financially independent, Fran and Mark enjoyed giving back through financial support.
GBMC will be forever grateful that Fran and Mark Harris had the foresight to provide for GBMC today and in the future with a simple IRA beneficiary designation that took only a few minutes to establish.
Before he passed away, Mark said that Fran and he had been fortunate to benefit from the outstanding medical care at GBMC over many years. Today, this incredible gift from Mark's estate will continue to help others in the GBMC community in perpetuity.
The Elizabeth Duncan Yaggy Society honors loyal benefactors who have provided for GBMC in their estate plans or with a gift to GBMC that pays them a lifetime of income. Please contact us to learn more.
