Eskenazi Health Foundation Announces $1.5 Million Gift from Mark and Joan DeFabis for Palliative Care Fellowship

In appreciation of a generous $1.5 million gift, Eskenazi Health Foundation announces the naming of the DeFabis Family Palliative Care Fellowship at Eskenazi Health.

The DeFabis Family Palliative Care Fellowship trains physicians across inpatient and outpatient settings at Eskenazi Health, the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indiana University Health and Riley Children's Health. It is one of fewer than 200 palliative care fellowship programs in the country. This underscores the national shortage of trained palliative care physicians.

"Eskenazi Health Foundation is grateful to the DeFabis family for the opportunity to extend palliative care services, train the next generation of physicians, and ensure every patient facing serious illness has access to expert care, dignity, and comfort," said Angela E. White, CFRE, president and CEO of Eskenazi Health Foundation.

For patients and families facing serious, complex or life-limiting illnesses, Eskenazi Health Palliative Care provides an additional layer of care focused entirely on comfort, dignity and informed choice.

"Everyone deserves to be surrounded by comfort and compassionate care during life's most difficult moments," said Mark and Joan DeFabis. "We are honored to establish the DeFabis Family Palliative Care Fellowship at Eskenazi Health to expand access to holistic and comprehensive services, helping improve the quality of life for both the patient and family when they need it most."

For Mark and Joan DeFabis, they have experienced the importance of palliative care services at Eskenazi Health. Mark's father, Mike DeFabis, passed away peacefully at home in July 2018, surrounded by his family. The Eskenazi Health Palliative Care team was there too, ensuring that he and those who loved him had the support, guidance and time to say everything that needed to be said.

Mike DeFabis was a civic leader who helped shape modern Indianapolis, a businessman, a devoted husband and father, a golfer, a traveler and, in his final chapter, a painter whose pastels fill the homes of everyone he loved.

Expanding palliative care training is vital to ensure the next generation of physicians are prepared to care for an aging population across Indiana and beyond. Every palliative care fellow at Eskenazi Health graduates as a board-certified palliative care physician.

"The benefit for our patients is the extra touch of our team, time spent in support of patients and their family members as they navigate incredibly challenging clinical situations, both in the hospital and in the outpatient setting, and ensuring completely individualized care for each patient," said Claire Willard, M.D., director of Eskenazi Health Palliative Care and assistant professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Palliative care is not reserved for the end of life. It is for anyone navigating a serious diagnosis who deserves expert support in decision-making, symptom management and maintaining quality of life throughout their health care journey. Patients and families facing cancer, chronic and progressive conditions, and acute injuries find support with nearly impossible decisions through this compassionate and deeply knowledgeable team.

Mark and Joan DeFabis are long-time supporters of Eskenazi Health, with Mark having served on the Eskenazi Health Foundation Board of Directors. In addition, Mark was the former chief executive officer of IDS Fulfillment, the fourth-largest logistics provider in Indianapolis.

For more information on Eskenazi Health Palliative Care, please visit EskenaziHealth.edu/health-services/palliative-care.