Establishing a New Family Tradition of Giving Back
When Marie Clemons and her adult children V. Gordon Clemons Jr. and Anne Marie Clemons-Thomas began the process of setting up their family foundation, they knew they wanted to make a difference in their local community. Long time Newport Beach residents, the Clemons family holds a deeply rooted value of giving back and uplifting others in need.
"My oldest sister spent time as a medical missionary in Guatemala," Marie said. "It was inspiring as a young person to learn about what she was doing. I think our family has always believed in being charitable."
As a formally trained psych nurse and nurse educator, Marie has seen how advances in research have informed care and made a difference in the lives of patients and their family members. When looking for ways to support the Orange County community, the family turned to UC Irvine, where Gordon earned his M.B.A. and Marie had been receiving vision care at the UCI Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.
After meeting with Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski, Irving H. Leopold chair of Ophthalmology and director of the Center for Translational Vision Research, and learning about the exciting initiatives planned for the new Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation Building (FLFMIB), the Clemons family made a $1 million gift to support construction of the space, expected to be one of the largest research facilities of its kind on the West Coast.
"I live just five minutes away from the campus and didn't realize the incredible work being done right in our backyard," Marie said. "It was an explosion of information."
Inspired by the possibilities of pioneering research at the FLFMIB, the family pledged an additional $9 million through a term of years charitable remainder trust to create an endowed fund to support research focused on cancer metabolism, cellular immuno-oncology and precision oncology. Charitable remainder trusts offer income streams for donors or their loved ones along with tax advantages, all while creating a lasting impact at UC Irvine. Led by Dr. Richard Van Etten, director of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, these three distinct research areas have the potential to lead to new medical breakthroughs in cancer treatment and care.
Understanding UCI Health's unique role as Orange County's only academic health system, the Clemons family made an additional gift to name the Clemons Family Outdoor Patient Infusion Area at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building at the new UCI Health — Irvine medical campus.
"We are on the cusp of a new era of technological innovation with the ability to rapidly advance medicine, clinical trials and care," Marie said. "We are excited to see how new discoveries will transform healthcare for the Orange County community. Cancer touches so many individuals and we are proud to support the university's growth, cutting-edge research and expert care in this critical area."
Now, Marie, Gordon and Anne Marie are looking forward to passing on their family value of philanthropy to the next generation – their children and grandchildren.
"The foundation is really something we have taken on together as a family," Marie said. "It is a tradition we want to pass down, something we want to instill in the children and make sure they understand the importance of giving back. My hope is that just as I was inspired by my sister, they will be inspired by what we are doing today and carry on that legacy."
