When Professional Becomes Personal

Mary Beth Tombes and her husband, Rob, both work for VCU and they both accept the HDL, Inc. Massey Challenge. Their team leader is Steve Snyder, Mary Beth’s father, who also accepts the Challenge, but for a different reason.

Rob is a professor of Biology at VCU and part of the research program at Massey Cancer Center. Mary Beth is an oncology clinical research nurse, coordinating clinical trials for patients with blood cancers and has been with Massey for almost 20 years. “My job is patient focused and science driven. I help patients better understand what novel treatments they will receive,” says Mary Beth. 

In 2010, Mary Beth’s cancer related work and personal life intertwined. “Cancer really became personal when my brother was diagnosed with lymphoma,” says Mary Beth. The studies Mary Beth works with would now be testing the same agents that her brother might someday need. For her father, Steve Snyder, his years of support and fundraising during the Massey Challenge would be put to the test.

Eleven years ago Steve Snyder developed non-cancer related health issues. Since then, Steve found a renewed appreciation for staying healthy by walking five miles every day and has participated in the race for the past seven years. “Massey is doing wonderful work that will contribute greatly someday to the fight to end cancer,” says Steve. “Anyway I can assist to get more support, I do.” 

“The person who initially drove me to fundraise was my dad,” recalls Mary Beth. The goal-driven 76 year old participates in the Massey Challenge as part of the Massey Clinical Research Team with both Mary Beth and Rob. Last year, Steve was the top individual fundraiser on the team. “I am spreading the word to others through my fundraising,” says Snyder. “I will keep doing what I’m doing as long as I can.”

“Being involved in the Massey Challenge helps the programs I am working on succeed and continue to grow,” says Mary Beth. “Raising money locally to help define innovative treatments for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma is really satisfying for me.”

As a scientist, Rob understands firsthand the importance in supporting his place of work. “This takes an enormous investment. You never know where the next breakthrough will take place,” says Rob. “Putting a man on the moon is a lot easier than solving cancer as a puzzle.”

“I see the money at work every day,” says Mary Beth.” I think Massey has always been doing great things and by my participation in events like this, Massey will continue to do great things for years to come.”

For the eighth year, Massey Cancer Center has been named an official race charity of the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. The HDL, Inc. Massey Challenge enables 10k participants to run or walk to support the fight against cancer. In 2012, 160 teams and 1,500 people participated in the Massey Challenge and together raised more than $500,000. Only money raised through the HDL, Inc. Massey Challenge supports the fight against cancer. No portion of the race entry fee supports Massey Cancer Center.