The innovative and modern Inova Schar Cancer Institute is a world away from the typical institutional health facility one might expect when accessing cancer treatment. A welcoming space, decorated tastefully with stone, wood, and glass, the building calls to mind a spa retreat or high-end hotel designed to put visitors at ease. The furniture could be part of any living room, with no fluorescent lighting in sight. The space is also home to 500 pieces of artwork, with an impressive piece showcasing the word “HOPE” just beyond registration.
This state-of-the-art facility would not exist were it not for the contributions of Dwight Schar and his wife Martha. Schar played a pivotal role in securing the 420,000-square-foot building for the Falls Church health system and donated $50 million in 2015, laying the foundations for a multidisciplinary cancer and research center.
A Background in Real Estate and Leader in the Community
A billionaire with a background in commercial and residential real estate, Mr. Schar says he is grateful for the success he had for decades, building homes in the Greater Washington area. Under his leadership, NVR, Inc., the Fortune 500 company he founded in 1980, grew to be and continues to be the largest homebuilder in Greater Washington, where it is credited with building over 110,000 homes. Having started in Northern Virginia, today NVR builds homes in 15 states and is acknowledged as the fourth largest homebuilder in the country. It is built over 535,000 houses. Although Mr. Schar retired from the company in 2022, he maintains a presence in commercial real estate projects in Northern Virginia.
With a net worth of around $2.5 billion, Dwight Schar has dedicated a significant portion of his funds to supporting philanthropic ventures. The focus of his charitable giving has primarily been health and higher education. In addition to his transformational gift for the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Mr. Schar has worked to improve access to higher education in Northern Virginia through his support of George Mason University, Virginia’s largest public research university. He followed up his $50-million gift in 2015, for the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, with a $10-million gift to George Mason University in 2016. Through his decades-long efforts with Inova and George Mason, Mr. Schar has established himself as a civic leader and key contributor to the wider community.
Continued Support for Inova
Dwight Schar and his wife’s contributions to Inova did not stop with their gift of $50 million for Inova’s cancer institute in 2015. Their gift of a further $75 million to Inova’s heart and vascular programs, donated in the spring of 2023, became the largest single donation ever received by the nonprofit organization.
The embedded PDF takes a closer look at the goals of Inova’s heart and vascular programs.
Underpinned by the Schars’ initial donation, the Inova Schar Cancer Institute plays a vital role in the community, providing lifesaving services to over 700 patients on a daily basis in healing, hospitable surroundings.