Winter 2025
By Brittany Flaherty
Photography by Matt Teuten
When Jane Rodgers was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, her family took comfort in the fact that she was receiving the best possible care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Jane’s natural ability to connect with people meant her doctors and nurses soon felt like an extension of the family.
“My mom was the kind of person everyone loved,” said Jane’s daughter, Ariana Rodgers. “She radiated kindness and warmth. She was creative and intelligent. She loved painting watercolors and quilting and listening to college lectures on quantum mechanics just for fun.”
After Jane passed away in 2020, her family knew they wanted to make a gift together in her honor to demonstrate their gratitude for her care and to help prevent other patients and families from experiencing such a devastating loss. Their $3 million gift established the Jane Rodgers Chair at Dana-Farber with David A. Barbie, MD, director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, as the first incumbent. “Philanthropy was really important to my mom,” said Ariana. “She emphasized that to us throughout her life and really cared about medical research. She would be very proud of this gift that we’re making and excited for the future of this research.”
Jane’s five children—Ariana, Brooke Eanes, Jack Bishop, Joyce-Ann Bishop, and Virginia Ermentrout—came together to make this special gift alongside Jane’s husband, Ronald Rodgers, through the MacDonald Family Foundation. The Jane Rodgers Chair will enable Barbie to further his thoracic oncology and immunotherapy research in perpetuity, with the goal of transforming care for patients with this challenging disease.
“I am truly honored by the incredibly generous support of the Jane Rodgers Family to carry on her legacy as we work to transform care for patients with lung cancer,” said Barbie. “This support will speed our efforts to expand treatment options, and we are grateful for the family’s meaningful partnership.”
Barbie is widely recognized for his pioneering work in the field of lung cancer, having led groundbreaking translational research that has expanded treatment options for patients, including those with KRAS-driven cancers previously considered undruggable. Ariana noted that persistent stigmas around lung cancer mean it doesn’t attract as much research support as other, less deadly diseases. Learning this confirmed her family’s decision to honor their mother’s memory and the compassionate team that had given her their time and care.
“The doctors are what set Dana-Farber apart. They’re passionate, knowledgeable, and we always felt heard and supported,” said Ariana, sharing that one of her mother’s nurses went out of her way to find her mom her favorite drink: Mexican Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. “It made my mom’s day, that special touch. Dana-Farber is incredible.”