Her Family’s Care Inspired Support for Massey

For Robin Partin, the MCV Campus is practically part of her DNA. 

Her late mother, Bertha Rolfe, graduated from the MCV School of Pharmacy in 1947, and Partin’s earliest memories include coming to campus with her mom who later became the first woman faculty member at the pharmacy school. 

Later, Partin saw how excellent care at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center helped ensure long and fulfilling lives for both of her parents. 

“My father received care at Massey,” Partin said. “My mother was diagnosed at 62 with breast cancer and was also treated here.” 

Partin’s mother lived to age 96, and her father Norman Rolfe survived for 15 years following his diagnosis with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Her father’s estate named Partin as a beneficiary of one of his life insurance policies, and she decided to make her first gift from these funds to support Massey and honor the compassionate care he received. 

“They were so wonderful in caring for my father,” Partin said. “Massey touched both of my parents’ lives, and to me, it’s the best cause, which is why I wanted to give back.” 

Partin and her husband, Dick, have supported Massey in a variety of ways, often making gifts of stock. A few years ago, they attended a workshop about charitable gift annuities — a way of support that provides life income to the donor and ultimately benefits the charitable cause a donor cares about the most.  

“It was very easy,” Partin said. “My mother had established a charitable gift annuity, so I was familiar with them. We had already been making gifts of stock, but through a CGA, we also were able to benefit from the annuity payments each year.” 

Partin said she and her husband established several gift annuities to benefit Massey after entering a phase of life when they wanted to do more to give back. 

“I’m hoping this support will allow Massey to continue to provide high-quality care for patients while exploring new, better ways of treating cancer,” Partin said. “They are making great strides to help eliminate and, hopefully one day soon, to end suffering from cancer.” 

If you would like to learn more about how to support the MCV Campus through a charitable gift annuity, please contact Jason Chestnutt, CFP®, executive director of planned giving for the MCV Campus, at 804-828-1671 or chestnuttjr@vcu.edu.