A TRUE CHAMPION OF CANCER RESEARCH

Marvin and Concetta “Chet” Greenberg were an especially close couple during their 44-year marriage. They were inseparable – even working together. Marvin was a dermatologist, and Chet, who held a degree in science, served as administrator of his medical practice. He loved medicine and mentoring, and would spend his days off teaching medical students. Chet proved to be just as driven and energetic about her own passion project, which she would launch after losing him.

In 2005, Marvin died from pancreatic cancer at age 85, and Chet was deeply affected, but determined to turn her terrible loss into something positive. She felt helpless at the end of his life, unable to make him comfortable, and now she yearned to make a difference for others facing pancreatic cancer. She also wanted to make Marvin proud.

Fueled by a deep love for her husband and her desire to eradicate the disease, she became one of the most generous donors in Fox Chase Cancer Center’s long history and a true champion for pancreatic cancer patients everywhere.

Although Marvin was not treated at Fox Chase, Chet believed that the institution’s long record of cancer research success made it the ideal venue for her vision. In 2007, she began a relationship that continued until she died in 2021, just before her 100th birthday. Over those years, her boundless generosity enabled a sustained, multidisciplinary effort that has made Fox Chase a leader in pancreatic cancer research and treatment. In her 80s and 90s, and even after her death, through long-planned gifts from her estate, Chet donated nearly $20 million to Fox Chase.

In 2016, as one of her transformational gifts was being celebrated, she said, “Research is what it’s all about. Progress doesn’t fall from the heavens — it takes time, effort, and money, money, money.”

With Chet’s support, Fox Chase established two endowed chairs and a thriving research institute dedicated to making breakthroughs in early detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer. She began in 2007 by funding the Marvin S. Greenberg, MD, Endowed Chair in Pancreatic Cancer Surgery, which is currently held by Sanjay S. Reddy. In 2023, Edna “Eti” Cukierman became the inaugural holder of the Marvin & Concetta Greenberg Endowed Chair in Pancreatic Cancer Research. Reddy and Cukierman are also two of the three co-directors, along with Igor Astsaturov, of the Marvin and Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute, which launched in 2017.

Endowed chairs provide a source of research funding in perpetuity, along with a high academic and professional honor.

The Greenberg Institute promotes collaboration among the labs, clinics, and community to identify and provide the most advanced and comprehensive care for pancreatic cancer patients.

“Private philanthropy can make the difference between impact in cancer research and a promising idea that never advances. Because of donors like Chet, we have out-standing support to make tangible progress,” said Robert Uzzo, President and CEO of Fox Chase.

In a relatively short period, Chet’s impact has already been profoundly felt. The National Pancreas Foundation recently renewed Fox Chase as a Clinical Center of Excellence and named it an Academic Center of Excellence for Pancreatic Cancer for the first time. The Greenberg Institute has earned multiple funded grants for various pancreatic cancer studies. Additionally, there are 17 pancreatic cancer clinical studies underway or awaiting activation.

Chet was a beloved figure within the Fox Chase community, even celebrating her birthdays with researchers. She relished her leadership role as a donor and her curiosity and sense of urgency inspired the team.

“In her boldness, Mrs. Greenberg gave us the resources to secure our place as a definitive leader in a very challenging area of oncology,” said Jonathan Chernoff, Cancer Center Director. “We will always be grateful to her.”

Top: Surgical oncologist John Hoffman with Concetta “Chet” Greenberg during a birthday celebration for her. Bottom: Edna “Eti” Cukierman (left) and Igor Astsaturov (right), Co-Directors of the Greenberg Pancreatic Institute, with Greenberg at the institute’s opening in 2017.