Dr. John S Macdonald

Dr. John S. Macdonald, a distinguished figure in the field of oncology and a cherished husband and father, passed away on July 14 at his home in Annapolis, Maryland.

Dr. Macdonald dedicated his life to the relentless pursuit of knowledge, the compassionate care of his patients, and the transformative advancement of cancer research and treatment. He pioneered the use of chemoradiation after surgical resection of gastric cancers, a treatment approach that came to be known as the "Macdonald Regimen," which has helped thousands of patients.

Dr. Macdonald's distinguished career was marked by leadership roles and contributions to numerous esteemed medical institutions and national organizations. Beyond his remarkable professional achievements, Dr. Jack, as he was known to many, was so much more than the sum of his titles and accolades. He was, above all, a great friend to all, always ready to lend a helping hand. He generously consulted with countless people he had never met, offering his expertise and support to anyone referred to him by a friend facing cancer. Whether it was an esteemed physician at the National Cancer Institute or a parking attendant with a mother battling the disease, Jack was always available. He wasn't the "high on a pedestal" scholar, physician, author, or researcher, nor a fancy New York City top 300 Physician, but was a true friend and confidant to so many. He was always up for a walk around Manhattan and a slice of pizza, a meal often expensed on a paper-napkin receipt, a testament to his down-to-earth nature.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 2, 1943, Dr. Macdonald was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy (1961), Dartmouth College (A.B. 1965, B.M.S. 1967) and Harvard Medical School (M.D. 1969). His postgraduate medical training included an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and a Fellowship in Oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

He began his leadership journey as Head of the Section of Tumor Division of Medical Oncology at Georgetown University Medical School in 1974 and subsequently served as Associate Director of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program from 1979 to 1982. His commitment to community oncology was evident through his roles as a Medical Oncologist at Greater Southeast Community Hospital (1980-1984) and The Washington Clinic (1982-1984), both in Washington, D.C., where he also served as Chairman of the Tumor Board at Sibley Memorial Hospital (1982-1984).

In 1984, he was named Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Associate Director for Clinical Activities at The Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, and from 1989 to 1997 he served as Medical Director of Temple University Cancer Center and Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at Temple University Medical School.

A significant chapter of Dr. Macdonald's career was his leadership at Aptium Oncology. From 1998 to 2012, he served as its Chief Medical Officer, where he was instrumental in establishing and maintaining hospital and patient care quality and standards.

Returning to direct patient care and academic leadership in New York, he was Chief of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service and Medical Director at Saint Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center (1997-2007), and Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at Saint Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center (1999-2007).

Dr. Macdonald authored over 400 articles, abstracts and book chapters in prestigious medical journals. His numerous academic honors and awards included the Lynn Wood Neag Distinguished Professorship of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His international standing was recognized through his membership in the Roll of Honour of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

In recognition of his contributions to the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, Dr. Macdonald received the Luminary Award in 2018 from the Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers at Georgetown University.

Jack was supported by the steel of the Macdonald family, his beloved wife, Sue. Together, they were a formidable team. "Good time Jack," would make the plans, and Sue would make them happen, orchestrating every detail of gatherings at their homes in Castine, Maine -- hiking and lunch arrangements, comfortable accommodations for guests, breakfast cereal for the kids, and of course, live lobsters.

Jack had a zest for life and enjoyed his "toys," including his BMW Motorcycle, Cessna Airplane, and cherished Piper Lance. In Castine, he could often be seen zipping around on his Segway scooter.

You could always count on Jack to share (and re-share), with a twinkle in his blue eyes, a tale about the colorful characters he encountered throughout his life. He seemed to have a funny story about everyone - Bernie, Les, Bill, John, Myra, Peter, Bill, Deanne, Sheldon, Jody, Craig, Michael, Teresa and countless others. If you knew Jack, you could likely recite one of his stories for every name mentioned. It's easy to imagine Jack being pleased his stories are being told again, with his infectious laugh echoing in our memories.

Dr. Macdonald is survived by his loving wife, Sue, their four children - Margaret (Lane) Bruns, John (Anna) Macdonald, Kathleen (Ben) Allan, and Fred (Heather) Macdonald - nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Contributions to honor the life of Dr. Macdonald can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (https://www.michaeljfox.org/) or the Hospice of the Chesapeake (https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/).