In honor of actor John Wayne’s 100th birthday, the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica received a million dollar gift at the Institute Auxiliary’s annual Odyssey Ball in late April.
His sons Patrick and Ethan Wayne, and the Wayne extended family presented the gift to Lou Lazatin, CEO of the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center. The funds came from the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and will benefit the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s internationally-known fellowship program.
Since 1981, the John Wayne name has been committed by the Wayne family to cancer research and education in memory of their father who died of cancer.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 4, 2007. Read the original PDF.