Bequest advances fight against pancreatic cancer
During his lifetime, attorney Jules Sandford often played the role of caretaker, both personally and professionally. Until the time of his death from pancreatic cancer in October 2007 at age 79, he remained true to his character.
photo: Courtesy of the Sandford familyJules and Betty Sandford
In the last weeks of his life, Jules Sandford and his wife, Betty, decided to support the research of City of Hope investigator V incent Chung, M.D., with a $150,000 gift to
benefit others facing similar circumstances.
Jules Sandford first became aware of the quality of care at City of Hope in 1997, when he was successfully treated for prostate cancer by Timothy Wilson, M.D., Pauline and Martin Collins Family Chair in Urology. Upon learning of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis 10 years later, he returned. “We continued to believe that the best treatment was right next door to where we lived,” said Betty Sandford, who resides in Monrovia, Calif.
During Jules Sandford’s most recent treatments, his family grew close to Chung. “We fell in love with him,” said Randy Sandford, one of the couple’s daughters. “He was straightforward, honest, gentle and very caring: qualities that we all appreciated.”
As a result of their experience with the institution, the Sandford family was eager to support Chung’s scientific efforts. “My parents’ gift allowed my father to impact the course of medicine, which was very important to him,” another daughter, Leslie Sandford, said.
“My father was truly an understated and persuasive force in the lives of those he loved,” added his son, Kevin Sandford.
Jules Sandford’s concern for others benefited additional charities, including the Foothill Unity Center, an organization serving the homeless and low-income individuals. Even during his cancer treatment, he provided financial support for a family friend whose own health was imperiled by a lack of insurance coverage.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Jules Sandford settled in Santa Monica, Calif., after completing a stint in the Navy, and attended the University of Southern California. The Sandfords were married for nearly 60 years.