For almost three decades, Ellen Banner and her family have supported NYU Langone’s quest to develop innovative lung cancer treatments and provide people with lung cancer with the most comprehensive, compassionate care. Because of the Banner family and the community they have cultivated around their passion for lung cancer research, NYU Langone has made tremendous strides.
Meeting the evolving needs of patients
The Stephen E. Banner Fund for Lung Cancer Research positions NYU Langone scientists and doctors at the forefront of lung cancer investigations and gives our staff the ability to offer state-of-the-art care and social work, counseling, and advocacy resources to lung cancer patients and their families.
About Stephen E. Banner
Stephen E. Banner is lovingly remembered as a devoted husband and father to his four children, a loyal and generous friend, and a brilliant lawyer. An honors graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Steve clerked for Judge Irving R. Kaufman of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit before moving on to success in the corporate department at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. In 1991, he became a senior executive at the Seagram Company, one of his longtime clients. Renowned among his colleagues for his incisive intellect, quick wit, and personal charisma, Steve was also the kind of man who would go out of his way to help mentor young associates or write silly rhymed verse for his friends’ birthdays. Never happier than when he was with his wife and children, he tended to downplay his own considerable professional accomplishments in favor of his kids’ triumphs. His warmth and joie de vivre still inspire all who knew him.
The Stephen E. Banner Professorship in Thoracic Oncology
This endowed professorship funds the work of surgeon-scientist Harvey Pass, MD, as he seeks new ideas in lung cancer research and educates the next generation of leading physicians in the field.
A Letter from Ellen Banner
Dear Friends,
More than 25 years ago, my family and I established the Stephen E. Banner Fund for Lung Cancer Research in loving memory of my husband, Steve. Over the years, the Banner Fund has galvanized NYU Langone’s efforts to ultimately eradicate lung cancer while easing its burden on patients today. Since its inception, the Banner Fund—along with the Stephen E. Banner Professorship in Thoracic Oncology—has allowed us to raise over $10 million to foster the pioneering investigations of Harvey Pass, MD, who currently holds the professorship, Abraham Chachoua, MD, and their colleagues at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center.
With help from the Banner Fund, NYU Langone can fulfill its commitment to discovery and innovation, and provide crucial support for educational and wellness services for patients and families. One of our most recent accomplishments is a new series of videos designed to help individuals and their loved ones cope with the disease and the treatment process. Understanding Lung Cancer captures the compassion, enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication of the lung cancer team and reflects the gratitude of individuals who have received superb care. The doctors and staff at NYU Langone work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients, and the Banner Fund serves as a vital resource.
Please consider a contribution to enable even more significant progress and touch the lives of an even greater number of people who need your help.
Thank you for visiting,
Ellen Banner