An anonymous supporter intends to recommend a $25 million grant from their Donor Advised Fund to Smilow Cancer Hospital at Greenwich. This generous gift would be made in honor of retired oncologist Dickerman Hollister Jr., MD, SM, and will support the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Greenwich Hospital Building Fund. It is a historic moment for Smilow Cancer Hospital and Greenwich Hospital, and gives the community an opportunity to play a crucial role in the advancement of comprehensive world-class cancer care, locally.
Dr. Hollister, who retired in 2022, spent the entirety of his four-decade career caring for patients in and around Greenwich, CT. He was an assistant professor in clinical medicine (medical oncology) and section chief of medical oncology at Greenwich Hospital. He is past president of both the Fairfield County Medical Association and the Connecticut State Medical Society and has served on the boards of many health-related organizations, including local chapters of the American Red Cross, the Greenwich Health Association, the Leukemia Society, and the Breast Cancer Alliance. In his clinical practice, Dr. Hollister was known for building relationships with his patients and for being caring, compassionate, and maintaining a sense of humor.
“Throughout my career it has been my greatest privilege to forge meaningful bonds with my patients and their families,” said Hollister. “A diagnosis of cancer is a profound moment in a person’s life. My colleagues and I recognized this and were dedicated to pursuing every possible option for our patients. I am deeply honored to know that the commitment to advanced cancer care is permanently woven into the fabric of our future through this gift.”
The gift will support plans to expand Smilow Cancer Hospital at Greenwich making way for next-level cancer care including infusion therapy, a multispecialty clinic, radiation oncology, breast cancer care, and an inpatient unit. The expanded space will allow for additional medical and surgical oncologists, increased access to clinical trials, and the most advanced cancer therapies available.