John Hayes, founder of the Fund for H.O.P.E at Hartford Hospital cancer center, died last week at his West Simsbury home. He was 63.
An obituary posted Tuesday in the Hartford Courant did not specify the cause of his death on Sept. 5. Hayes, though, was diagnosed four years ago with stage 4 kidney cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of approximately 12 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.
Hayes was cancer free in May 2016 after undergoing a series of experimental drug trials. Hartford Business Journal profiled his diagnosis, treatment and recovery in 2017.
After his diagnosis, Hayes raised $5,000 in hopes of creating a fund at Hartford Hospital. The effort eventually morphed into the John Hayes Fund for H.O.P.E at the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital to benefit patients struggling with the costs of cancer treatment.
The fund receives individual contributions and other proceeds collected at the annual Driving for H.O.P.E. Golf Tournament. This year’s tournament was held in May at Tunxis Country Club in Farmington.
According to the obituary, Hayes, born in Cape Town, South Africa, moved to Connecticut with his family 21 years ago. Hayes worked as a senior business consultant for MassMutual, and was an active member of St. Catherine of Siena Church in West Simsbury.
Hayes, a youth athletics coach in West Hartford for many years, was an athlete himself, having completed more than 40 marathons, according to Hartford HealthCare.Â
Hayes is survived by his wife, Jenny, of 40 years, and their three children.
