A Grateful Patient Gives Back and Creates a Lasting Legacy

We all have causes we support even though we haven’t personally been impacted by them. Whether we give to a local food bank, an animal shelter or healthcare organization, it is because we understand the good they do in our communities and want to see their work continue to impact lives.

For Ellen Sessions, her longtime support of Mary Bird Perkins fell into that category. While Ellen had not personally been impacted by a cancer diagnosis, she recognized the value of having a first-class cancer center right here in Baton Rouge. She believed in supporting Mary Bird Perkins’ mission of providing the highest quality cancer care possible for our community.

Her support was transformed in 2016, though, when she faced her own battle with breast cancer.

After her diagnosis, she experienced first-hand the truly exceptional care that all patients at Mary Bird Perkins receive. “I couldn't have asked for more wonderful people to take care of me throughout my journey,” said Ellen. “The difference between the treatment you receive at Mary Bird Perkins and other places is night and day. Mary Bird Perkins is a place where they treat every patient with love and respect. They take care of you like you’re family.”

Her cancer care team, in particular, holds a special place in her heart. She feels blessed to have had access to such a knowledgeable, compassionate and caring team so close to home. From her breast cancer surgeon and radiation oncologist to her medical oncologist and ALL of the team members she interacted with along the way, Ellen rests easy knowing she received the very best care available.

Because of her experience, Ellen felt a need to do even more to give back to Mary Bird Perkins. She wanted to ensure that everyone in her community continued to have access to the same level of advanced and personalized cancer care that she did.

A loyal Rathbone Society member since her diagnosis, she recently established the Ellen Chadwick Sessions Endowed Fund to secure the future of cancer care for everyone. She also created a legacy gift by naming Mary Bird Perkins as the beneficiary of her IRA, ensuring the legacy of her support will live on for years to come.

Her careful estate planning enables her to make a transformational investment in the fight against cancer to help those who, like her, are facing a cancer diagnosis. Planned giving of assets such as an IRA as part of estate planning helps create a lasting legacy and alleviates tax burdens for you and your family. Ellen’s investment in Mary Bird Perkins will help future generations have access to advanced care and ensures the Cancer Center has the foundation of support it needs to move cancer care forward for years to come.

Legacy gifts also help provide patients with important programs focused on health and wellness education, psychosocial counseling and the healing arts program. “They don’t just treat your cancer—they take care of your whole body, head to toe,” said Ellen. “From the nutritionist to the patient navigators to the therapies like meditation and mindfulness, these programs are essential to helping patients cope with the experience of a cancer diagnosis and supporting patients through their cancer journey.”

Ellen’s gifts to Mary Bird Perkins serve as a beautiful demonstration of the power of grateful giving.