September 24, 2004

Building on a legacy: Will and Denise McDonough Endowed Fund established

The sports world lost a legend in January 2003 when Will McDonough, a sports reporter and columnist for the Boston Globe, died of a heart attack at age 67. McDonough, who was an MGH patient, was known across the nation for his informative and often exclusive sports reporting.

Grateful for the compassionate care he received from the MGH Cardiology Division, the McDonough family has established the Will and Denise McDonough Endowed Fund for Research in Heart Disease at the MGH. His widow, Denise, along with family members, close friends and members of the MGH medical team who cared for McDonough, recently celebrated the establishment of this fund at a special luncheon held Sept. 1 in the Trustees Room.

The fund will support research in three areas of cardiology: cardiac amyloidosis,
coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac death. In keeping with McDonough's strong interest in supporting and mentoring young people, the McDonough family has requested that the fund be used to support the research of promising young investigators in the field.

"Will McDonough was one of a kind. We miss him tremendously," said Roman DeSanctis, MD, who was McDonough's primary cardiologist. "We don't have an answer to solve the type of heart disease that he had, but we will someday with the support of this fund. We are very grateful for this marvelous gesture from the McDonough family."

Denise McDonough recently held a fundraising golf tournament in memory of
her husband, with one third of the proceeds — $100,000 — earmarked for the establishment of the McDonough endowed fund. The fund will be administered by G. William Dec, MD, chief of the MGH Cardiology Division.



From left, Diane Fingold, MD, of MGH Primary Care, Dec, DeSanctis, Denise McDonough and James Dineen, MD, of MGH Medicine.