Supporting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a lifelong commitment for Emily and Ned Sherwood. Sitting in their sunny Florida home, Emily Sherwood fondly shared recollections of her sister, Daryl Elizabeth Layzer, “a very bright, motivated person who worked throughout her illness. Her life was cut short, too early. She had a lot more to give.”
In her memory, the Ned & Emily Sherwood Family Foundation established the Daryl Elizabeth Layzer Endowed Fellowship at Dana-Farber with a gift of $1 million. The fellowship furthers research in multiple myeloma under the direction of Kenneth Anderson, MD, program director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center and LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and the Kraft Family Professor of Medicine. He was also Daryl’s physician. The endowment will specifically fund the work of a fellow selected annually by Anderson.
Investment in talent is one of the most important ways to accelerate scientific discovery, and the Sherwoods have long known that support of “human capital” is key to keeping Dana-Farber at the forefront of cancer medicine.
“We have been giving to further Ken’s multiple myeloma research since 1998,” said Ned Sherwood. Their ongoing contributions, in tribute to Daryl, have focused on advancing multiple myeloma research and talented fellows under Anderson’s tutelage. Building on their long legacy of generosity to Dana-Farber, this permanent fund will support generations to come. “Years ago, we started working with Ken to help defray costs of a promising researcher, and we’ve been fortunate to support fellows over the years. We are delighted to endow our support to ensure that important advances in myeloma research and care continue generation after generation.”
“Endowed positions like the Daryl Elizabeth Layzer Endowed Fellowship serve as a powerful recruitment and retention tool in support of exceptional talent,” said Anderson. “With Emily and Ned’s generous support, we will continue to attract the best and brightest minds and continue to shape the next generation of leaders in cancer research and care. We are deeply grateful for their inspirational, long-lasting, and heartfelt tribute to Daryl, which will benefit patients with myeloma worldwide.”
Anderson has mentored many pioneers and internationally recognized researchers who continue to make valuable breakthrough contributions at Dana-Farber and around the world. This includes Annamaria Gullà, MD, who was awarded the prestigious 2020 Joanne Levy, MD, Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement, an honor given to an American Society of Hematology Scholar. Gullà was supported by funding from the Sherwoods’ previously established Daryl Elizabeth Layzer Term Fellowship.
“Ken cares so much,” said Emily Sherwood. “While he receives so many wonderful recognitions and honors all over the world, he remains truly compassionate, inspirational, and humble. He has built up a department at Dana-Farber that is second to none. This is not a commitment that has a beginning and end for us. No matter what, we will always recognize Dana-Farber and what they did for my sister.”