E. Scott Bair, PhD, professor emeritus in The Ohio State University School of Earth Sciences, knew he wanted to honor the memory of his beloved wife of 41 years, Julie Bair, a mother and retired first-grade teacher. As he considered where his philanthropic investment would make the most impact – and in appreciation of a special gift he and Julie had received – Dr. Bair chose to establish a fund at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center at the OSUCCC – James.
The gift the couple had received was more time together throughout Julie’s nine years of battling metastatic breast cancer. During a visit to the Columbus campus in October 2021, Dr. Bair shared the motivation behind his gift to the OSUCCC – James, and the indelible mark Julie left on his life and on the lives of the couple’s daughter, Katie, and countless friends, colleagues and young children who benefitted from Julie’s warmth, gentle demeanor and loving spirit.
The Julie Bair Breast Cancer Endowed Fund supports patients battling breast cancer, with preference given to people whose cancer has metastasized. Soon after Julie’s 2010 diagnosis with metastatic breast cancer, the Bairs accelerated their plans for retirement, moving from central Ohio to pursue their dream of building a home on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. “I knew I wanted to support the Spielman Center,” Dr. Bair says. “Julie just loved the people there. Once we moved to North Carolina, we did not go to Duke in Durham for Julie’s treatments. She wanted to continue her treatments at the Spielman Center with the team who had taken care of her to that point.
”Bhuvaneswari Ramaswamy, MD, a breast medical oncologist at the OSUCCC – James, led the team.
With quality of life in mind, Ohio State created the Living Well with Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center. Co-founded by Dr. Ramaswamy, the clinic provides education to patients and their caregivers on a wide variety of topics specific to metastatic breast cancer. Julie’s fund also will provide philanthropic support for these efforts.
A CHANCE MEETING
Dr. Bair reflected on the summer day in 1976 when he met Julie. It was at Pennsylvania State University, where Julie was a graduate student taking education courses for her state certification, and Dr. Bair was pursing his master’s degree and working as a graduate teaching assistant.
During the lunchtime rush at the student union, with no open tables in sight, Dr. Bair spotted the friendly wave of Ann, a student from the geology class he was teaching that term. She was motioning for him to join her and a friend at their table. That friend was Julie.
The three enjoyed lunch until Ann left to go to her next class. Dr. Bair and Julie would spend another two hours talking, ultimately making plans to meet that evening for their first date at the ice cream shop where Julie worked. Upon returning to his office that afternoon, Dr. Bair faced some good-natured questions about his whereabouts from his officemates, both of whom were married. “My answer was, ‘I just met the woman I’m going to marry!’” Dr. Bair says. “That’s the impression Julie made on me.” Dr. Bair describes Julie as an empathetic listener who always made time for her friends and their needs. “The most dominant thing I can think of with Julie is her kindness,” he says. “That’s what brought her to being an elementary school teacher. She just loved little kids.
”Her passion for education – coupled with her soft-spoken, gentle nature – made Julie a natural elementary school teacher. She began teaching before she and Dr. Bair met, and she carried on with that work after the couple married and settled in Dr. Bair’s native state of New Jersey. Julie’s career spanned over three decades and continued when the Bairs moved to Dublin, Ohio, in 1985 after Dr. Bair accepted a faculty position in Ohio State’s School of Earth Sciences.
“Ever since she was in high school in State College, Pennsylvania, Julie knew she wanted to be a teacher,” Dr. Bair says. “It was more than a career. It was a calling.” For Dr. Bair, the idea of an estate gift to the OSUCCC – James had not occurred until after Julie’s passing in 2019. But to him, it made sense to honor the place – and the people – that did so much for Julie, he says. “We were both teachers, and we enjoyed helping people and, somehow, over the 40-plus years we were together, we accumulated a little more money than we ever thought.” From summer 2002 until fall 2010, following her initial breast cancer diagnosis, Julie enjoyed a good quality of life, which enabled the Bairs to take vacations, including traveling internationally.
The couple’s final and most memorable trip abroad was inspired by Julie’s fondness of author Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, which was set in 18th-century Scotland. But before finalizing their travel plans, the couple sought the counsel of Dr. Ramaswamy, who encouraged them to move forward with their three-week adventure.
“Dr. Ramaswamy and her team said they were so happy that Julie was not letting the disease dictate her life,” Dr. Bair says. Throughout her cancer journey, especially when she needed to summon strength and courage, Julie would listen to the 1994 top 10 hit single titled “You Gotta Be” by British R&B and soul singer Des’ree.
Not only did the song’s music and inspiring lyrics provide comfort during some of Julie’s darkest days, it became the soundtrack for moments of mother- daughter bonding.
Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears
Go ahead, release your fears
Stand up and be counted
Don't be ashamed to cry
You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day.
After Julie’s passing, Katie and her husband, Warner, created a tribute video for her funeral.
“You Gotta Be” was its soundtrack.