The Raymond Kwan Memorial Patient Assistance Fund eases some of the financial and literal burdens of cancer treatment. Your gift will allow the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center social workers to support qualified socioeconomically challenged cancer patients with gas cards, Uber gift cards, hotel vouchers and/or housing assistance to help ease the financial obstacles that some may face in times of treatment. Qualified patients may also receive grocery or Walmart gift cards to ensure that they and their families have sufficient nutrients and appropriate household necessities throughout the duration of their cancer treatment.
Raymond was born in 1954 in the midst of the communist revolution in China. Knowing that his opportunities would be limited to working as a laborer in the countryside, Ray set his sight towards America where hard work and education were valued. After escaping strict border guards, swimming through treacherous ocean waters, he found freedom at the shores of Hong Kong. Eventually, he made passageway to San Francisco with only $200 in his pocket and the clothes on his back. Throughout the years, Ray took on odd jobs as a dishwasher, bus boy, cashier to put himself through college and earned a degree in Engineering at UC Berkeley in only 3 years. Shortly after he earned a Masters in engineering at San Jose State where he met the love of his life, Judy. Ray and Judy settled down in Sacramento and enjoyed a beautiful life together with their children: Tiffany and Kristi. To Ray, there was no greater joy in life than being a husband and father.
Throughout his struggle with cancer in 2019, Ray was concerned more about others than his own well-being. It saddened him to learn that there were people in a similar situation whose financial burdens caused limited access to healthcare. It was his wish that a patient fund be created to help those less fortunate by providing them services that might help ease their burden.
Ray's courageous fight with colon cancer ended March 2020. The Kwan family can think of nothing more healing than honoring Ray's memory with establishing the fund Ray hoped to create to help those less fortunate. Ray was an inspiration to countless people throughout his life and believed in giving back to his beloved community. Through this fund, his extraordinary legacy lives on through helping families that not only struggle in meeting financial obligations but also must endure an overwhelming cancer battle. This fund exemplifies everything that Ray Kwan stood for in his life. He strongly believed that everyone should be granted a chance to succeed no matter their circumstances. Sometimes, even in life's darkest moments, there lies an opportunity to make a difference in someone else's life and that glimmer of light is what gives his family strength to continue the fight against cancer even in his absence. Ray may be no longer be with us but through this fund, his legacy of generosity, humility, selflessness and love continue to impact the world.
TO MAKE A GIFT BY MAIL, please make a check payable to the UC Davis Foundation and mail it to UC Davis Health PO Box 160186 Sacramento, CA 95816. In the memo line of the check, please indicate the gift is to support the Raymond Kwan Patient Assistance Memorial Fund (324805)