As a Worcester County native, Justin Maykel, MD, often meets familiar faces through his medical practice—a unique privilege he never takes for granted. Among his patients, the late George (Geof) F. Booth II stands out as a remarkable, enduring presence in his life and career. Before he passed away in 2023, Geof and his wife, Penny Booth, bequeathed generous funding that was used to establish the Geof and Penny Booth Colorectal Surgery Research Fellowship. 

Remembered for her generous spirit and her capacity to connect deeply with others, Kerri Appleton’s life was tragically cut short in January 2025 by cholangiocarcinoma, a rare, incurable cancer. In a fitting tribute, the inaugural Kerri Appleton Legacy Golf Tournament, held last summer, raised critical funds for cholangiocarcinoma research at UMass Chan Medical School—with the hope of changing the course of this intractable disease. 

Since 2011, Shrewsbury’s Turkey Trot for the Memory has united the local community on Thanksgiving morning to run or walk in support of people and families facing Alzheimer's disease. A generous portion of funds raised through the 2024 event are supporting the research of Honghuang Lin, PhD, professor of medicine and co-director of the Program in Digital Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School.