Response to the “STATEMENT FROM DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE CONCERNING PALM BEACH FUNDRAISER (2/9/2017)”

While we are happy that Dana Farber has said that “in the future we will avoid controversial venues that may distract from our focus on cancer care and research,” we continue to be disappointed that Dana Farber does not acknowledge the moral and ethical issues at stake with their decision to conduct business with Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Resort.

The travel ban that inspired our call for the relocation (not cancellation) was a fulfillment of a promise that Trump made as early as December 2015. Since Trump’s first call for a “Muslim Ban,” DFCI has already held one fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Now, they will hold a second one there. We urge them to consider what message they send when they say that their selection of this fundraiser venue, and their resistance to relocating it, is not a political act.

We applaud their responsiveness to their various constituents: their patients above all, but also their faculty, students, and staff. At the same time we wish they did more than acknowledge that “this event has become such a lightning rod for some.” We wish they made a decision that reflected more clearly their moral commitment to their core values of diversity, inclusion, and a commitment to advancing cancer care for all patients.

We will continue with our planned rally this Saturday, February 11, at 1PM at the Harvard Medical School Quad so that patients, faculty, and students can reflect publicly not only about Dana Farber’s decisions, but also on the responsibility that we as physicians and future physicians have to act to care for our patients, regardless of national origin or religion, in our hospitals and beyond. Although this rally was inspired by a deep disappointment with Dana Farber’s Mar-a-Lago fundraiser, we believe the issues at stake far surpass this one event and will work continually to foster a spirit of political awareness and public engagement among the medical community at Harvard and beyond.

Colleen Farrell, Harvard Medical School, MD Candidate
George Karandinos, Harvard Medical School, MD/PhD Candidate
Krishna Prabhu, Harvard Medical School, MD Candidate
Ethan Balgley, Harvard Medical School, MD/PhD Candidate
Marguerite Thorp, Harvard Medical School, MD/MPA Candidate