'GMA' Hosts Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer Break Down on Air Over Huge Cancer Research Gift

The $400 million marked the largest single donation in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's nearly 150-year history.

By Allison Schonter

This week proved to be an emotional one for Good Morning America co-hosts Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer. During Tuesday's broadcast of ABC's long-running morning show, the two co-hosts fought back tears after record executive David Geffen and philanthropic businessman Kenneth C. Griffin made a $400 million donation to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

Roberts and Spencer welcomed Geffen and Griffin onto the program alongside Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center CEO Dr. Selwyn Vickers to unveil the huge gift, marking the largest single donation in MSK's nearly 150-year history. The group was also joined by healthcare workers and patients. During the emotional segment, Spencer, fighting back tears, noted, "it's unbelievable the difference it will make in so many lives... Why was this so important for you to donate in such a large number that will make such a huge difference?"

"All of us here dream of the day we end cancer," Griffin replied. "I'm certain MSK will play an important role in ending cancer in our lifetime. But until that day, the team at MSK give the patients that are enduring cancer hope, dignity, and compassion in their care. All of the work that you do to help the patients at MSK beat cancer and find their lives again is God's work. Thank you so much."

The moment proved to be especially emotional for Roberts, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and went into remission. Five years later, she was diagnosed with a rare blood and bone marrow disease called myelodysplastic syndrome and needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Her wife, Amber Laign, also recently battled the disease.

"I hope you feel the emotion from everybody that is here. There's nobody that hasn't been impacted, both personally with family and friends – it's impacted everybody," Roberts, 63, said. "Dr. Vickers, just talk about $400 million. How is that going to help your team achieve what it is that you want to achieve?"

Vickers called the gift "transformative," sharing, "Not only is it the largest but it means so much at this time. I personally want to thank Ken for being here and David, if he's watching, for allowing these resources to move forward to what I think is a treasure in American healthcare." He added that the donation will allow MSK to help further cancer research and build new facilities to expand patient care for those battling cancer.

Roberts ended the segment by joining through tears, "Our crew doesn't have Kleenex for us? Tissues? How can we do a segment like this and they don't have any tissues for us? The one time!"

In a press release announcing the record-setting donation, Geffen said, "I'm pleased to join my friend Ken Griffin in supporting the groundbreaking, patient-centered care at MSK. It's our sincere hope that this combined gift will inspire others and enable MSK to continue to build on its reputation as one of the top cancer care providers and research centers in the world."

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