BY IGNACIO LOBOS
 Three generations of Hutchinsons: Back row, left to right, Allison Reed; Scott, William and Amy Hutchinson; Molly Hunter; Charlotte Reed; Brock Reed; children: Hutch Stellick; Morgan, Owen and Darby Hunter. |
The trees, whose leaves were now turning yellow and bright red throughout the campus, were not around when her father, Dr. William Hutchinson, envisioned a new campus along the southern shores of Seattle’s Lake Union.
“My father had big dreams. He had been working on cancer research for so many years. He was absolutely sure that he was going to find a cure,” Charlotte said, in awe at the changes that have taken place at the campus in just a few short years.
Dr. Hutchinson named the Hutchinson Center after his brother, the baseball legend Fred Hutchinson, who died of lung cancer in 1964 at the age of 45. To keep his brother’s memory alive, Charlotte said, her father poured his energy into building a world-renowned cancer research institution. The Center now has three Nobel laureates and its widely respected team of scientists continues to make breakthroughs in cancer, HIV and other life-threatening diseases.
“My father’s dream was to bring together some of the best minds in science and have them work together to find a cure for cancer,” she said.
Dr. Hutchinson died in 1997 but his mission did not.
“My father’s strong belief that cures for disease come through basic science research continues to be supported every day by the advances being made at the Hutchinson Center,” said Stuart, one of five of Dr. Hutchinson’s children.
Several of the Hutchinsons, including a new generation of preschoolers, came to the Center recently for a family photo shoot. While the family has spread its wings throughout the country—Dr. Hutchinson’s wife, Charlotte, continues to live in the same Seattle home they shared for decades—they are driven by a commitment to Dr. Hutchinson’s vision. And because they share his values, the family continues to contribute to the Center in many different ways.
“My father instilled a dedicated sense of purpose in each of his children and, speaking for myself, that has served me well in my life,” said Stuart, who has hosted fundraising events with his wife, Elisabeth, on behalf of the Center. “I have remained involved in the Hutch because, as a physician, I believe strongly in the cause. My father’s vision to create an exemplary institution gives me a great sense of pride and humbles me at the same time.”
That’s true for his siblings, Charlotte, Mary, Bill Jr. and John, and their children. Next June, Charlotte and her growing family—her three children are now all parents—will be hosting the 32nd annual Shore Run/Walk, a fundraiser that remains deeply rooted in family. In 2008, the run raised more than $170,000 for early detection research at the Hutchinson Center.
“My dad always said that every little dollar is important. That’s how he raised funds for the Center, going friend to friend,” Charlotte said. “When you look at the Center now, it’s hard to believe that it started from such humble beginnings.”
That’s why the event remains so important to the family. “It’s a connection to our grass-roots beginning. We never want the small contributors to be forgotten because we really need their support,” Charlotte said.
Her sister, Mary, a member of the Center’s Board of Ambassadors and a San Francisco-area resident, said distance hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm for the Center.
“Watching my father work to get the Hutch off the ground was inspirational. Seeing what has evolved is simply awesome,” she said. “And then you look at the ground-breaking advances happening at the Hutchinson Center today, and it makes you want to be more involved.”
A new generation of supporters
Scott Hutchinson and his wife, Amy, are the latest in the Hutchinson family tree to get involved.
He was raised in Boise, Idaho, and growing up, he didn’t hear much about his grandfather’s work from his dad, John. The Hutchinsons share a Northwest modesty that has little room for boasting, despite the great and well-publicized achievements of the Hutchinson brothers.
“Even when we visited Grandpa and walked through the labs, I didn’t realize the scope of it all,” Scott said. “Look at my grandparents. They owned the same home for 65 years. They did their work but didn’t boast about it.”
Now living in Seattle, Scott and Amy co-chair the Innovators Network Council, which seeks to involve a new generation of leaders in the Center’s activities. The network of younger professionals is engaging people under age 45 who make annual gifts of $1,000 or more and offers opportunities to engage with Center scientists and other members through social and educational events.
“When you look at our generation, especially here in Seattle, there are people who have had financial success early in their careers who give back to the community, and a lot who haven’t,” Scott said. “When you analyze spending habits of people between the ages of 22 and 45, there’s a gap in philanthropy. We might not be the big donors yet, but we could be. That’s where Innovators Network wants to help by bridging that gap.”
So when Scott and Amy meet new friends, the narrative about the Hutchinson Center comes easy. They are, after all, talking about family.
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