In 1984, Aruna Jindal, a 29-year-old mother with two young boys, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a devastating and aggressive form of cancer. Aruna and her husband, Umesh, were shocked by her diagnosis, but were determined to see her survive and live a full life. They were able to get a referral, and, four days after her cancer diagnosis, they departed from their home in Delhi, India, to seek treatment at City of Hope in California, where Aruna’s only chance of survival lay in an experimental bone marrow transplant (BMT). The procedure was still in its early stages, with a success rate of just 33% for adults. It also required a perfect match from a sibling.
“City of Hope was one of the few cancer research hospitals in the world with a reputable BMT program with donations and grants to undertake this expensive treatment for eligible and willing patients,” said Umesh.
Aruna’s treatment was demanding. Chemotherapy and radiation ravaged her body. But her spirit remained unbroken. There were dark moments — like the time an infection nearly claimed her life — but Aruna’s will to survive never wavered. Less than a year after diagnosis, Aruna underwent her bone marrow transplant (BMT), receiving the precious cells from her brother. It was a moment of profound hope and prayer.
“When she was first diagnosed with cancer in India, doctors gave her just a few months to live. No words can describe our gratitude to City of Hope and its entire team,” said Umesh.
Nearly 40 years later, Aruna is a living testament to the power of family, hope and modern medicine. She and Umesh have watched their sons grow up, marry and start families of their own. They are proud grandparents, cherishing every moment they spend with their grandchildren.
Aruna and Umesh are deeply grateful for the support they received from their siblings, which ranged from donating bone marrow to providing a homestead for them and their children when they had to seek treatment far away from home. They have also shown their gratitude to City of Hope through the years with donations and a fundraiser. More recently, they decided to establish a charitable gift annuity using funds from their IRA, providing them with fixed lifetime payments at a great rate for the rest of their lives. After their lifetimes, the remaining funds will support City of Hope and carry on Aruna and Umesh’s legacy of providing hope and saving lives.
“Using a Qualified Charitable Distribution from my IRA to fund a charitable gift annuity with City of Hope gave us triple benefits.” said Umesh. “The gift fulfilled our required minimum distribution, lowered our taxable income by $53,000, reduced future Medicare surcharges and we receive lifetime income at an attractive rate. We’re also supporting cancer research through City of Hope, a noble cause close to our hearts.”
To learn more about ways to support City of Hope by using your IRA to fund a charitable gift annuity or through a gift in your will or trust, please contact the Office of Planned Giving at 800-232-3314 or plannedgiving@coh.org.