A Family Affair
For Angela “Angie” Middleton, MD, and her husband, Ryan Mitchell, giving to UVA Health and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of a family tradition of community service. Guided by compassion and a community spirit, the couple is teaching their four children, ages 23, 21, 17, and 12, the power of helping others. In addition to her philanthropic contributions, Angie volunteers her time as a member of the Cancer Center’s Advisory Board.
“We both grew up in families where we saw how fulfilling it can be to recognize the struggles of others and offer support,” said Angie, a family medicine physician in Richmond who has experience in both primary and urgent care. “We want our children to carry that forward—to understand that giving back can take many forms, whether it’s volunteering, lending a hand, or contributing financially.”
Angie and Ryan meet regularly with their kids to gather input on new programs or causes to support and to update the children on the impact and activities of organizations they contribute to. They also encourage and help the entire family find ways to engage in hands-on involvement.
“The kids have organized donation drives at school, served meals, delivered food through Meals on Wheels, and even raised funds by getting sponsors for road races,” said Angie. “We want them to experience what it means to make a difference.”
Angie’s connection to UVA Health began unexpectedly. What started as a second opinion for a medical condition became the beginning of a trusted partnership in care.
“I never expected to switch my care to UVA Health, but that’s exactly what happened, and I’ve never regretted it,” she said. “From the physicians and nurses to the facilities and support staff, the care I received was truly exceptional.”
Grateful for her patient experience, Angie and her family established a fund to support UVA Health’s Department of Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial and Oral Health, which had contributed to her care. This generosity is helping the department expand training and research in reconstructive plastic surgery for cancer patients—an area facing national shortages, especially in rural and underserved regions.
“With support from Angie and Ryan, we’ve been able to grow our residency program and expand our research to improve access to reconstructive care,” said Scott T. Hollenbeck, MD, the Raymond F. Morgan Professor and chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial and Oral Health. “Their commitment is already shaping the future of patient care.”
But Angie and her family wanted to do even more and recognized that UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center’s mission to reduce barriers to cancer prevention and treatment in the region aligned with their philanthropic goals and interests.
REMOVING BARRIERS TO HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE
One-third of the Cancer Center’s service area, which encompasses 87 counties in Virginia and West Virginia, is rural, with residents traveling two or more hours for medical care, including cancer screenings. Moreover, this population experiences a higher rate of incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer. Angie and her family created the Middleton-Mitchell Family Fund to provide colorectal screening kits to this demographic.
“Many Virginians live hours away from care or can’t afford to travel or miss work for screenings,” said Angie. “Through mailed colorectal screening kits and other initiatives, we’re helping make early detection accessible to everyone.”
Angie’s experience as a physician has informed her family’s understanding of social determinants of health. “Unfortunately, healthcare is not readily accessible to all. We recognize this and strive to support organizations that work hard daily to bring quality healthcare to the most vulnerable populations. We also support organizations focused on food insecurity, education, and homelessness, as these greatly affect health and overall well-being.”
The family helped establish the Removing Barriers to Care Fund and supports efforts by UVA Health’s Department of Population Health to extend care beyond hospital walls for patients facing difficulty covering essential needs, such as transportation to and from medical appointments or access to food or temporary housing. They also contributed to the creation of a new staff position—a patient navigator—who can help cancer patients overcome social and financial challenges in accessing the care they need.
“We hope that our support is reducing the barriers that lead to healthcare inequality. Healthcare should be a right for all, not a luxury for some,” said Angie.
According to Lindsay Hauser, director of UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center's Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, “the Middleton-Mitchell family’s generosity allows us to reach more community members with limited access to healthcare—improving screening rates, reducing disparities, and ultimately saving lives.
For Angie and her family, philanthropy is more than giving—it’s a way of life. As one of her children put it: “Philanthropy means seizing any possible opportunity to help those around you and doing what you can to better the lives of others.”