Reproduced and excerpted from a ChineseLAPress (美洲华联社) report dated May 8, 2026. See the bottom of this page for the original source link.
On May 6, 2026, the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, part of the renowned cancer research and treatment center City of Hope, hosted a giving ceremony at which Alfred Shiu-Wai Lai, 83, made a million-dollar gift in honor of his late mother, Mrs. Lai Chu Yuet-jan, to advance research in diabetes and metabolic disease. The same afternoon saw the unveiling of the Alfred Shiu-Wai Lai & Donna W. Lai Family Lobby — a permanent recognition of the family's long-running support of medical research and community giving.
A Gift Dedicated to a Mother
Mr. Lai left Hong Kong for the United States in 1962 as a student. After his father's passing, his mother — Mrs. Lai Chu Yuet-jan — raised nine children alone for over four decades, doing whatever was needed to support each of them through their studies abroad. After her passing in 1990, her resilience, devotion, and conviction that education matters continued to shape his life.
In his remarks, Mr. Lai recalled his mother's quiet, generous love:
"Every honor today, I dedicate to my mother."
Mrs. Donna W. Lai shared at the ceremony that her husband lives modestly day to day, but is firm about putting his help where it carries real meaning:
"On the eve of Mother's Day, this is the most meaningful gift we could offer her."
From a Wealth Conversation to a Million-Dollar Gift
As Mr. Lai's accountant, Cynthia Lau, CPA — past president of the Chinese American CPA Association — recalled at the ceremony that several years ago, in a conversation with her, Mr. Lai had spoken of wanting to give back in some form. After she came to know City of Hope through a separate introduction, she brought its medical research and community programs to his attention.
After careful study and reflection, Mr. Lai chose to direct his million-dollar gift to City of Hope in support of diabetes research.
Speaking at the ceremony, Cynthia noted that the appearance of a Chinese family name within an institution of City of Hope's stature is significant — a reflection of the growing presence and influence of the Chinese-American community in mainstream philanthropy.
About City of Hope and the Arthur Riggs Institute
Dr. Debbie C. Thurmond, Director of the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute and the Chan Soon-Shiong Shapiro Distinguished Chair in Diabetes, said in her remarks that scientific breakthroughs are inseparable from the support of the broader community and philanthropic partners. She thanked the Lai family for their generosity toward both diabetes and cancer research, noting that gifts of this kind help translate findings into clinical care more quickly — for patients and the families around them.
She also remarked that the bilingual Chinese–English signage of the Lai Family Lobby reflects the meaningful role of the Chinese-American community in philanthropy.
The ceremony was hosted by Kevin McQuhae, Senior Executive Director of Philanthropy at City of Hope. Other speakers included Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocaña (Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology), Dr. Yun Rose Li (Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology), and Dr. Sarah Shuck (Assistant Professor, Diabetes & Cancer Metabolism), each of whom expressed gratitude for the family's commitment.
Cross-Generational Wealth Begins with a Conversation
The real starting point of cross-generational planning is rarely a tax form. It is most often a single conversation about what someone hopes their life will leave behind. The Lai family's gift — from that early wealth conversation, through institutional matching and gift structuring, through the family-named recognition, and through the choice to hold the public ceremony on the eve of Mother's Day — is one full arc of philanthropic and legacy planning.
We are grateful to Alfred and Donna Lai for letting us walk part of that road with them.
Original report: Chinese-American family donates to City of Hope to advance diabetes & metabolism research · ChineseLAPress, Los Angeles · May 8, 2026
Image and text credits: ChineseLAPress (huarenone.com). This page reproduces excerpts of the original text and one photograph from the report, with attribution.
