In Her Father’s Honor

For Lisa Nigro, nursing has always been more than a career. It’s a calling — one her dad helped instill.

She joined Cleveland Clinic in 1994 as a registered nurse, working on the colorectal surgery and vascular surgery floor before moving to the ICU. She later pursued anesthesia training at Columbia University and spent more than a decade working 
in New York City.

Then came a call from her father, Albert Nigro. The retired steelworker had been diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. By the time it was discovered, the disease had spread to his liver.

“He never had a colonoscopy,” Lisa says. She moved back to Cleveland to be closer to him and to help with his care. 

“He gave it a fight until the end,” she recalls. He passed away peacefully at home in November 2020.

Lisa made a testamentary gift to Cleveland Clinic in his honor, with a specific focus on young-onset colon cancer research. “Seeing people in their 20s, 30s and 40s coming in with devastating diagnoses — that’s what really drove me,” she says. “They’re not getting colonoscopies because it’s not the recommendation yet, and by the time they’re diagnosed, it’s often too late.”

She credits her dad’s work ethic and sacrifice for shaping her commitment to nursing, service and giving back.

“To me, it’s not about money,” Lisa says. “It’s about being there for people.” 

What is a testamentary gift?

A testamentary gift is a future charitable gift made through a will or trust. It supports causes that you care about while allowing you to retain full control of your assets during your lifetime.