Philanthropy supporting research ‘makes good sense’
Although he has enjoyed both personal and professional success, Art Fullmer’s life has been tempered by sorrow.
His first wife, Anne, passed away at age 40 from breast cancer. His second wife, Barb, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1978, only two years after they married. She struggled with complications of the illness until passing away in 2006. As a tribute to each of them, Mr. Fullmer has made philanthropic gifts to Cleveland Clinic supporting research into these diseases.
“I watched Barb, who was very outgoing and had a positive attitude, deal with slow, progressive MS,” he says. “She taught me a lot about living.”
A Return to Northeast Ohio
An Ohio native, Mr. Fullmer was the first in his family to leave the state. He moved to New York after college, where he made his mark in publishing firms on Madison Avenue. Eventually, he returned, moving with Barb to Cincinnati, where he ran his own company producing travel guides and special publications. He then retired to devote himself to being her full-time caregiver, and they moved to Twinsburg, Ohio, drawn to the area by the reputation of Cleveland Clinic’s Mellen Center, which specializes in MS.
“Cleveland Clinic is one of the top facilities in the country, and it was nice to be there, knowing that she would get first-class care,” Mr. Fullmer says.
Passing on Good Fortune
Giving to Cleveland Clinic by establishing gift annuities “makes good sense,” he says.
“I get the income, it’s a tax write-off, and the money goes directly to research. I feel good about it. Cleveland Clinic is doing important work, and I hope these gifts will provide the wherewithal to bring about an answer, to find the cause of these diseases. I believe that my giving will have an impact.”
He also gives as a way of passing on the good fortune he feels he has had through the years, he says. “I was blessed with a good family while growing up who believed in providing for others and leaving something behind. That’s how I measure what I do in life.”
To make a gift supporting the Neurological Institute, Taussig Cancer Institute or any area of Cleveland Clinic, visit our secure giving site or call Institutional Relations and Development at 216.444.1245 or toll-free at 800.223.2273, ext. 41245.
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