From dream to legacy: Couple accelerates lung cancer research

Someday becomes now

Decades before the couple created the endowed chair, Le was with friends, each writing down what they wanted to accomplish in the future.

Her answer was simple: something philanthropic that would help people. It was a goal that Bui and Le shared. Both were first-generation immigrants who came to the U.S. from Vietnam as children; both felt a deep gratitude and desire to give back.

“It was hard for my parents, and when we started our life here, we were on the receiving end,” Bui said. “Now, to complete that cycle, I want to be on the giving end.” 

Le tucked away the slip of paper documenting their dream, but she and Bui never forgot about it. They carried that goal with them through life’s challenges, including cancer affecting loved ones.

In 2018, Bui’s work brought them to Seattle. Six years later, the disease touched the family again. This time, it was Bui who received a diagnosis: lung cancer. 

“We didn’t know anything about Fred Hutch, but quickly experienced the compassionate care and, as we learned more about the research, saw how well-organized it was,” he said.

What they learned reshaped their priorities. Instead of waiting to grow their funds, Bui and Le decided to give now, trusting Fred Hutch to make the most of their support. 

All signs point to funding Fred Hutch science

“I believe in signs,” Le said, laughing.

The first sign for her was the speed with which Bui was able to see a provider at Fred Hutch and the attentive care he received. The second was the Anniversary Challenge, a special matching gift opportunity designed to strengthen Fred Hutch’s research environment and accelerate scientific discovery. 

The challenge celebrates Fred Hutch’s 50th Anniversary and is part of the $3 billion Campaign for Fred Hutch to radically increase the pace and scale of innovation. Growing the organization’s endowment is a cornerstone of that effort. The chair created by Bui and Le is one of 25 endowed chairs that will ultimately be created through the Anniversary Challenge.

Fred Hutch currently has 50 endowed chairs total across the institution providing sustained, flexible support for forward-looking research.  

“Because Vinh Bui and Tram Le stepped up today, scientists will know more tomorrow,” said Thomas J. Lynch Jr., MD, president and director of Fred Hutch and holder of the Raisbeck Endowed Chair.

“Endowed chairs represent a lasting partnership between donors and our organization — one that drives innovation and brings us closer to new cures.”

From small cell lung cancer treatment progress to broader breakthroughs

The new endowed chair will allow MacPherson to move faster on discoveries that could change how SCLC is treated. Recently, his lab uncovered a key genetic mutation tied to chemotherapy resistance, a breakthrough that not only explains why some treatments fail but also points to new possibilities for care. 

MacPherson and his team — many of them early-career scientists — are pushing forward on multiple fronts including helping restore the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack tumors, a challenge in SCLC and other cancers. 

They’re also developing blood-based approaches to study tumor biology and guide treatment decisions, especially when traditional biopsies aren’t an option. These innovations could make a real difference for patients who currently have few alternatives. 

Potential ripple effects of this research include informing strategies for other hard-to-treat cancers such as fast-growing non-small cell lung cancers, prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors with similar biology. 

“Donor support doesn’t just speed up bringing new treatments to patients — it also helps train the next generation of scientists who will carry this work even further,” MacPherson said.

Honoring the past, inspiring the future

Bui and Le appreciate the legacy their endowed chair leaves for up-and-coming researchers, future patients and their own family. 

“We wanted to set an example for our children, where giving is something that they always keep in mind,” Bui said.

Le added, “It’s an ongoing kind of thing. This is our time to hand it off.”

Funding an endowed chair reflects the couple’s deep gratitude for past breakthroughs, hope for future ones, and the joy of giving back. 

“I wouldn’t be here today if not for research in the past funded by someone else’s generosity,” Bui said. “This is a way for us to pay it forward.”