Donor Stories-Iyer

How One Grateful Patient Created a Lasting Legacy

Chander S. Iyer is a business executive, a published author, and a philanthropist. A few years ago he made a bequest in his will to establish an endowed fund in Radiation Medicine to support Northwell Health cancer patients. This fall he also directed a distribution from his IRA directly to Northwell Health.

Diagnosed with rectal cancer in March 2009, Chander is now in remission. He credits the expert and nurturing care of the Radiation Medicine staff, in particular Doctors Louis Potters and Lucille Lee, with his positive outcome.

“I feel honored that I can give back to the department that helped me,” he says. By directing a gift from his IRA, Chander will now see the results of his philanthropy and legacy come to fruition while he is alive.

As a helpful guide, Chander recently published a book titled Pain in the Butt: Overcoming Rectal Cancer, A Patient’s Diary, which is available at the Queens Public Library and online.

Chander was born in India and earned a BE in telecommunications before immigrating to the United States in 1970 and earning an MBA from St. John’s University. He worked for Verizon for 24 years before retiring in 1995, winning several awards during his career.

Chander sponsors two children with special needs in India, has volunteered for several medical missions to the Philippines, and has visited more than 100 countries on six continents.