“The Palliative Care team is a special group of people, and I wouldn’t have wanted to share probably the most devastating week of my life with any other group,” said Jeff. “I’ve been a woodworker for more than 40 years, and I decided I wanted to do something to let them know just how wonderful they are.”

Donors are welcomed into the Legacy Circle when they make a lasting gift to the Medical Center through their will, retirement plan, life insurance policy or trust.

A major manufacturer of intravenous solution was damaged by Hurricane Helene, and East Coast port closures also could impact supply chains. VUMC is conserving inventory where possible and minimizing waste.

The event brings physician-scientists, resident physicians, MD, MD/PhD and undergraduate students together to promote mentorship, provide information and showcase student research.

Jeffrey Upperman, a national leader in pediatric trauma and disaster preparedness, is among the authors of the Pediatric Disaster Science Series from the National Academy of Medicine that published in late September as scenes of Hurricane Helene’s devastation emerged across the Southeast, underscoring the need to formalize response, research and care efforts.

The high-energy fundraiser began in 2022 to raise money for cancer initiatives at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

The initiative aligns with the Office of Rural Health’s mission to improve the health and well-being of rural veterans and the VA’s priority of becoming a learning health care system.