Daniel Koenigsberg ’62 vividly remembers the compassionate care his late wife, Susan, received at Smilow Cancer Hospital while being treated for pancreatic cancer. Every two weeks, she would be greeted by the same nurse, a comforting constant during her chemotherapy sessions.
Among the many small acts of kindness, the nurse would prepare Susan’s favorite tea and offer her a warm blanket, making her feel valued and cared for during such a challenging time. These simple gestures were far more than just routines; they were symbols of genuine concern and attentiveness that touched both Koenigsberg and his wife deeply.
“At Smilow, she was treated with dignity and respect,” Koenigsberg says. “The staff’s commitment to personal care was so evident and vital during such a difficult period. This customer-oriented philosophy clearly came from the top of the organization.”
Moved by that compassion, Koenigsberg has chosen to give back, establishing an endowed fund focused on pancreatic cancer research at Yale Cancer Center (YCC) and Smilow Cancer Hospital.
From Gratitude to Action
The gift will enhance multiple initiatives, including seed grants for pilot projects, the establishment of a fellowship in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, the creation of a biorepository for tissue samples, and an annual lectureship. It will also provide support for faculty research endeavors and help to ensure sustained support for future initiatives.
The inaugural Dr. Daniel and Susan Koenigsberg Pancreatic Cancer Research Lecture series was launched in September with a visiting professor from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine addressing the role of vaccines in anti-tumor immune responses.
“Early detection of silent cancers, like pancreatic cancer, is critical,” Koenigsberg says. “Our gift aims to support research that identifies biomarkers and genetic predispositions to these illnesses.”
Pam Kunz, professor of internal medicine and director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center, says Koenigsberg’s philanthropy will meaningfully move GI cancer research forward.
“Dan’s gift will be transformational for our program as it will galvanize team science in GI cancers,” she says. “His gift will provide funding for an annual seed grant for pancreatic cancer research and foundational support for our GI Tumor Biorepository. Philanthropic support is vital now more than ever, and Dan’s gift will undoubtedly have great return on investment, given the cascade effect of support to new multidisciplinary teams and early career investigators.”
A Life of Service
Koenigsberg is the retired chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale New Haven Hospital Saint Raphael Campus and associate clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine. He became vice chair and then chief of psychiatry at the hospital, where he also served on its medical board.
Koenigsberg’s dedication to Yale has been a constant throughout his life. He has chaired two Yale College class reunions, serves as the Class of 1962 treasurer, and is an associate fellow at Silliman College. He is also currently the president of Yale Club of New Haven and performs with the Yale Alumni Chorus internationally.
Among his many contributions, Koenigsberg takes particular pride in helping future generations of students pursue their Yale dreams. Koenigsberg and his wife endowed an undergraduate scholarship, making a Yale education accessible to those who might otherwise not have the opportunity.
“A Yale education is a privilege I wished to extend to others,” he says.
For Koenigsberg, giving is driven by a desire to leave the world a better place than he found it.
“Wealth should not be an end in itself, but a means to help others,” he says. “Creating a legacy is about moving society forward, even in small ways.”