Georgetown Establishes New GI Research Center

WASHINGTON—Georgetown University Medical Center announced the creation of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers, which will fund gastrointestinal, colon and pancreatic cancer research, drug discovery and patient advocacy efforts at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Jeanne W. Ruesch generously made the $6.75 million gift in memory of her husband, Otto, a prominent Washington-area businessman and philanthropist who died of pancreatic cancer in October 2004 at the age of 64, after being treated at Lombardi.

Throughout Otto's year-long battle with his disease, the Rueschs were struck by the lack of public understanding of gastrointestinal cancers, as well as the difficulty of accessing information and treatment. They saw a glaring need to shine a spotlight on the devastation caused by gastrointestinal disease through advocacy and increased research funding for more targeted drugs.

"Our family was astounded that the prognosis for pancreatic cancer—one of the most devastating GI cancers—was so grim," Jeanne Ruesch said. "There has been so little progress in identifying new treatment methodologies in recent years. Through the course of Otto's illness, we saw so many families whose suffering touched our hearts and made us feel that we had to take some responsibility for trying to make a difference in treating this terrible disease."