A Philanthropic Visionary
Tennessee resident Cano Ozgener may be described as a man of tenacity and determination. These admirable qualities served him well during his career as a mechanical engineer, and during his first battle with lymphoma in 2000. Not long before Ozgener was diagnosed with lymphoma, his good friend and Nashville Symphony conductor Kenneth Schermerhorn already was battling cancer. At a charity event, Ozgener met philanthropist Michael Milken, and they discussed Schermerhorn’s condition, prompting Milken to recommend City of Hope to Ozgener’s longtime friend. Later, when Ozgener’s own lymphoma recurred, he recalled Milken’s advice. “It was karma. God was showing me the way,” said Ozgener.
 Esen and Cano Ozgener received substantial tax advantages by giving to City of Hope through an IRA rollover. |
Once Ozgener arrived on campus, he met with Stephen J. Forman, M.D., Francis and Kathleen McNamara Distinguished Chair in Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, a physician he feels embodies the institution’s renowned patient-centered philosophy. Inspired by the treatment he received, Ozgener praised all of those who cared for him. “Dr. Forman gives confidence to patients and staff,” he said. “All the personnel are professional, caring, kind, compassionate — all of them.”
After his experience, Ozgener and his wife, Esen, were motivated to find a way to support City of Hope. “We wanted to do even more to find a cure and reduce the suffering of all those affected by cancer,” explained Ozgener. The Ozgeners’ vision of helping to further better therapies included making a significant gift to the institution. “I’m convinced that with proper funding and research, one day we will win the fight against cancer,” said Ozgener.
The Ozgeners, who reside in Nashville, still travel to City of Hope, where Cano Ozgener continues his treatment. His compassion also reaches beyond City of Hope, as he raises funds on behalf of the Michael Milken Foundation to support medical research for prostate cancer. “Making a gift through an IRA was easy,” noted Ozgener. “The expertise of the gift planning officers at City of Hope enabled me to choose the gift vehicle that best met my needs.”
