In 2016, Harvey Crosby received a diagnosis he wasn't expected to survive.
After weeks of severe headaches, his ophthalmologist referred him to Thomas Hedges, MD, a neuro ophthalmologist at Tufts Medical Center and Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology at Tufts University School of Medicine. He soon learned he had plasmablastic lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive blood disease. Under the care of his oncologist, Kenneth Miller, MD, Harvey began chemotherapy and underwent a stem cell transplant. Throughout his treatment, his care team was honest about the road ahead and unwavering in their determination to see him through.
Today, Harvey is thriving, ten years after a diagnosis that once felt impossible. Following Dr. Miller's retirement, Harvey is now under the care of Andreas Klein, MD, Interim Chief of the Division of Hematology Oncology, Director of the Bone Marrow + Stem Cell Transplant + Cellular Therapies program and Associate Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, and his Nurse Practitioner, Kathleen Coughlin.
"It was incredibly difficult. I refer to 2016 as our year from hell. But the team that we had when Harvey was admitted was outstanding. Not only the doctors and nurses, but the Fellows and every person who was involved. We felt that we couldn't have been in better hands."
Tina Crosby, Harvey's wife
From gratitude to giving
After surviving such a dire prognosis, the Crosbys felt immense gratitude for the care that had carried them through. "We owe so much to Tufts Medical Center. It just feels like part of the family," shares Harvey. "We just love the organization, love the people. We want to see it thrive."
They began supporting Tufts Medical Center philanthropically, first helping acquire critical educational equipment, supporting the Bone Marrow Treatment Program, COVID-19 research, and, earlier this year, funding the renovation of a comfortable room for patients to receive CAR T-cell therapy. But they wanted to do more.
When they decided to make a lasting impact, they brought their kids into the conversation and got the whole family on board with making a bequest—a gift written into their will to support Tufts MC after their lifetime. "We want Tufts MC to be there for future patients who have a condition or situation similar to what I had," Harvey reflects. His many years in the investment business had taught him to think about the future, and he knew a bequest was the most meaningful way to help shape it.
Investing in the future of care
Harvey has seen firsthand how far cancer treatments have come in just the past decade, especially with the emergence of CAR T-cell therapy. He also knows that treatments for rare cancer like his will continue to change dramatically in the years ahead, particularly with the advent of AI. The Crosbys' bequest is designed to help Tufts MC keep pace with that change, so future patients have access to the most effective, cutting-edge care available.
"Tufts Medical Center has the feel of a community hospital with all the knowledge and service of a teaching hospital," Harvey says. "When you put all that together, it's a combination that we feel is so fantastic and so needed."
Through their bequest, the Crosbys hope to help Tufts MC continue providing the kind of care that saved Harvey's life—making treatment less invasive, faster and more efficient. It's a gift rooted in belief: belief in the institution, in its people and in the future they're helping to build.
"We tell everybody that we love Tufts MC," Harvey says. "That's the bottom line."
