Leslie Cameron Devereaux’s memory lives on at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in her father’s name, Richard C. Devereaux. Upon her death, she gave a lasting gift that will allow Karmanos cancer researchers to move the needle forward in the treatment of lung cancer.
The Richard C. Devereaux Foundation donation has made possible the establishment of the Richard C. Devereaux Foundation Endowed Chair for Lung Cancer Research at Karmanos Cancer Institute, which was awarded to Hirva Mamdani, M.D., leader of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team and co-leader of the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program.
On Sept. 9, 2025, that recent gift was celebrated at Karmanos during a special event that remembered Leslie Devereaux and acknowledged the work in cancer research to come. Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, president and CEO of Karmanos, expressed gratitude on behalf of the institute. He lauded Dr. Mamdani for her extensive experience in the fight against lung cancer and the critical and pivotal roles she plays at Karmanos.
While accepting the endowment at the event, Dr. Mamdani told a compelling story illustrating why lung cancer treatment and cure is her calling.
“Ten years ago, when I was a first-year fellow in oncology training, I saw my first patient with stage IV lung cancer. We will call her Claire. Claire said, ‘I know there is no cure, but can you tell me how much time I have? My daughter is a third-year medical student, and I would like to live to see her graduate,’ Dr. Mamdani described. “With a heavy heart, I talked to her about the average survival of 13 months and the possibility of adding a few more months if we were able to get her on a clinical trial. She said, ‘Thirteen months is much longer than I thought. Let’s get going. We’ve got work to do!’”
Claire showed no evidence of cancer after two years on the clinical trial. Not only did she witness her daughter’s graduation from medical school, but Claire also attended her wedding and is awaiting the birth of her second grandchild.
“Today,” Dr. Mamdani explained, “the trial Claire participated in is an FDA-approved immunotherapy treatment available to a much larger population with lung cancer. Today, the average survival following diagnosis of stage IV lung cancer has doubled. We have the technology to read the tumors’ entire DNA, utilize the glitches in the DNA to develop treatments that specifically target cancer cells, and treatments that harness the power of the immune system to conquer cancer. We have tools to detect lung cancer at a much earlier stage. We are able to cure more patients with early-stage lung cancer.
“None of this would have been possible without research, without the unwavering support of the donors to fund the research, and most importantly, without the patients who participate in research with utmost trust that there is hope and we can make a difference!
“I view this endowment as not only a great personal honor—it is a responsibility. It represents the trust placed in our team and me to push the boundaries of science and bring forward discoveries that can change lives.”
Eleven lung cancer survivors, all patients of Dr. Mamdani, were in attendance as she accepted the endowment, supporting her as she has always supported them through her cancer journey.
From groundbreaking research to the most up-to-date therapies and individualized treatment plans, Karmanos Cancer Institute leads the fight against cancer through transformative cancer care, research and education, and through courage, commitment and compassion. The Devereaux Foundation’s endowment will go a long way toward achieving that mission in lung cancer research and care.
From groundbreaking research to the most up-to-date therapies and individualized treatment plans, Karmanos Cancer Institute leads the fight against cancer through transformative cancer care, research and education, and through courage, commitment and compassion. The Devereaux Foundation’s endowment will go a long way toward achieving that mission in lung cancer research and care.
The kind and generous heart of Leslie Devereaux continues to give life and change lives long after her death. Devereaux passed away in 2024 at the age of 81.
An endowed chair for cancer research enables the physician-scientist and a team of cancer researchers to utilize the corpus of the endowed chair while keeping the principal gift intact. Endowments are critical to Karmanos because they provide a permanent source of funding needed to expand research and develop new patient treatments. Funds generated from the principal of the endowed chair guarantee that resources will be available today and well into the future - this gift will support research for decades to come.
Learn how your donation to Karmanos can impact cancer research here.