From the Duke Cancer Institute archives. Content may be out of date.
When Duke Cancer Institute Board of Directors Nancy Wright finished chemotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer, nurses on the fourth floor of Duke Cancer Center brought out a small bell for her to ring to celebrate.
Feeling inspired, Wright’s family, including her husband, J. Gordon Wright, who 10 years ago this year survived stage 4 lymphoma, donated the Sound of Hope Bell in her honor.
The Wrights stopped by the Seese-Thornton Garden of Tranquility across from Duke Cancer Center to Sound of Hope Bell shortly after it was installed in April 2022.
The generosity of donors and friends like you makes it possible for Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) to discover, develop, and deliver the future of cancer care…now. Because of you, DCI stands among the nation’s premier cancer centers, driving innovation and transforming lives.After more than a decade as DCI’s inaugural executive director, Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD, has decided it is time to pass the torch. Since 2011, he transformed DCI into a national model, championing multidisciplinary care, expanding research, and improving access and community engagement. A pediatric hematologist-oncologist and renowned cancer biologist, Kastan will continue as a Duke faculty member.On January 5, 2026, we welcomed Erik Sulman, MD, PhD, as interim executive director. Recently appointed chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Sulman brings exceptional expertise in brain tumor treatment and novel therapies. We are confident his leadership will guide DCI through this transition and build on its legacy of excellence.Thank you for all you do to elevate DCI’s mission. Together, we are changing the future of cancer care. The stories below highlight just a few examples of how we’re doing that.This message was originally published in the 2026 Breakthroughs. Read more about DCI's breakthrough research and patient care in this annual magazine.
Arlene Brown knew she was at high risk for breast cancer and stayed vigilant with regular screenings. But nothing could prepare her for the moment she found a lump — while 18 weeks pregnant with her first child.What followed was a whirlwind of decisions, fears, and a treatment journey that would test her strength and reshape her future.Brown was named after her Aunt Arlene, who died from triple-negative breast cancer. After Brown’s sister was diagnosed with the same cancer, Brown underwent genetic testing. It revealed that Brown had the BRCA-1 gene mutation, which elevated her risk for breast and ovarian cancer.Her doctors suggested she undergo a bilateral mastectomy to remove her breasts and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. But Brown was 33, and she and her husband, Richard, wanted to start their family.Instead, she opted for regularly scheduled mammograms and MRIs. The results came back clear, and in December of 2022, the Raleigh, North Carolina, philanthropy officer was thrilled to learn she was pregnant.In March, after she felt a lump under her right arm during a shower, her doctor advised that lumps and bumps during pregnancy were common. In May, however, Brown had an ultrasound, then a biopsy. Like her family members, Brown was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
The generosity of donors and friends like you makes it possible for Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) to discover, develop, and deliver the future of cancer care…now. Because of you, DCI stands among the nation’s premier cancer centers, driving innovation and transforming lives.After more than a decade as DCI’s inaugural executive director, Michael B. Kastan, MD, PhD, has decided it is time to pass the torch. Since 2011, he transformed DCI into a national model, championing multidisciplinary care, expanding research, and improving access and community engagement. A pediatric hematologist-oncologist and renowned cancer biologist, Kastan will continue as a Duke faculty member.On January 5, 2026, we welcomed Erik Sulman, MD, PhD, as interim executive director. Recently appointed chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Sulman brings exceptional expertise in brain tumor treatment and novel therapies. We are confident his leadership will guide DCI through this transition and build on its legacy of excellence.Thank you for all you do to elevate DCI’s mission. Together, we are changing the future of cancer care. The stories below highlight just a few examples of how we’re doing that.This message was originally published in the 2026 Breakthroughs. Read more about DCI's breakthrough research and patient care in this annual magazine.
Arlene Brown knew she was at high risk for breast cancer and stayed vigilant with regular screenings. But nothing could prepare her for the moment she found a lump — while 18 weeks pregnant with her first child.What followed was a whirlwind of decisions, fears, and a treatment journey that would test her strength and reshape her future.Brown was named after her Aunt Arlene, who died from triple-negative breast cancer. After Brown’s sister was diagnosed with the same cancer, Brown underwent genetic testing. It revealed that Brown had the BRCA-1 gene mutation, which elevated her risk for breast and ovarian cancer.Her doctors suggested she undergo a bilateral mastectomy to remove her breasts and an oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. But Brown was 33, and she and her husband, Richard, wanted to start their family.Instead, she opted for regularly scheduled mammograms and MRIs. The results came back clear, and in December of 2022, the Raleigh, North Carolina, philanthropy officer was thrilled to learn she was pregnant.In March, after she felt a lump under her right arm during a shower, her doctor advised that lumps and bumps during pregnancy were common. In May, however, Brown had an ultrasound, then a biopsy. Like her family members, Brown was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
