Dallas Businesswoman Pledges $50-Million for Program to Reduce Cancer Deaths

How much: $50-million pledge over five years

Who got it: University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston

Who gave it: Lyda Hill, a Dallas businesswoman who is a granddaughter of H.L. Hunt, the late billionaire oilman

Where the money will go: For the center’s Moon Shots program, a collaborative effort between researchers and doctors to reduce cancer deaths

Donor’s connection to the beneficiary: Ms. Hill is a longtime member of the center’s Board of Visitors. She is also a survivor of breast cancer who says cancer has affected many members of her family.

How the gift came about: Ms. Hill approached the cancer center’s officials after she learned about the organization’s work; she said she had a figure in mind and decided pretty quickly to proceed.

Why she gave: Frustrated over the general state of medical research, Ms. Hill wanted to support an approach that emphasized more open collaboration. “We haven’t made enough strides. Early detection is still your best bet,” she says. “Unfortunately, because doctors are normally measured by their publishing, they don’t want to tell anybody what they’re doing. That’s a lousy way to run [a] research [program]. I’m excited they’re going break down the silos.”