For Phillip H. Morse, the decision to make a $31 million gift to advance patient care was inspired by the strength and courage of his late wife, Susan, as well as his admiration for a longtime friend.

Both Susan and Phillip considered Mass General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals their healthcare “homes”—the institutions they trusted for their most complex and important diagnoses and treatment experiences. When Susan died in 2024, her family remained grateful to the doctors and nurses who cared for her, especially near the end of her life, when difficult complications required hospitalization. To honor their experiences and improve care for generations of patients to come, Phillip committed a transformative $25 million gift from his estate—one of the first major contributions to the new Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute—to help unite and strengthen cancer-focused services across MGB.

“Phillip’s tremendous generosity will provide a lasting legacy that will further our vision for cancer care across our health system,” says David F. M. Brown, MD, president of academic medical centers at Mass General Brigham. “His gift will position us as a leader in groundbreaking research, innovative treatments, and compassionate care for patients and their families.”

In addition to his bequest, Phillip pledged $5 million to establish a professorship in cancer surgery at Harvard Medical School. Gerard Doherty, MD, chair of surgery at MGB, is leading the search for a breast cancer expert to hold the Phillip H. Morse Professorship in Surgery.

“Phillip is an exemplary partner in our mission,” says Doherty. “His forward-thinking commitment enables us to push the boundaries of medicine, while keeping Mass General Brigham’s patients at the center of everything we do.”

Phillip’s philanthropy was also inspired by the powerful example set by his good friend, Frank Resnek. In 2019, Resnek established a first-of-its-kind research center for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) at the Brigham to pursue new therapies and possible cures for the condition, which affects the liver and currently has no known disease-modifying therapies. As a special tribute to Resnek, Phillip made a $1 million gift to the Resnek Family Center for PSC Research.

“In Frank, Phil saw someone who was touched by a difficult disease and saw it as mandate to help others,” says Cynthia Suprenant, Phillip’s colleague and advisor. “Phil thought of Susan’s long cancer experience and wanted to follow Frank’s gracious lead. We encouraged him to think big in terms of what his financial support could accomplish, and these wonderful gifts are the result.”

Resnek is glad to see his friend create a meaningful legacy that will touch many lives.

“I am humbled by Phillip’s support of the center,” he says. “He knows how important this research is to me and my family, and it is the mark of a true friend to give so generously and selflessly.”

Resnek adds, “I’m also thrilled Phillip’s name will be forever tied to Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. Because of him, incredible advances in cancer treatment are on the horizon.”