To our friends, colleagues, and community.

For thirty years, I had the privilege of working shoulder to shoulder with Sharon Dickerson. What began as a professional partnership became one of the most meaningful relationships of my life.

From the very beginning I was struck by Sharon's extraordinary ability to connect with people from every walk of life. Within minutes of meeting someone, she could understand them, relate to them, and make them feel seen. Patients trusted her. Staff respected her. Families leaned on her. She had a rare gift; the ability to combine strength and compassion in equal measure..

Throughout our careers together, she quietly put out fires every single day. She steadied difficult situations, solved complex problems, and protected our mission with unwavering dedication. Because of Sharon, I became a better physician. Because of Sharon, our work reached further. Because of Sharon, countless lives were not only treated, but truly cared for.

A message from the founder

Together, we accomplished things neither of us could have done alone. We built organizations from the ground up. We earned awards and national recognition. We expanded care to those who had long been marginalized. We saved lives. And through it all, Sharon remained humble. She never sought attention, never boasted of her accomplishments. She simply did the work with intelligence, grace, and heart.

Her final battle against metastatic breast cancer reflected the same courage she showed throughout her life. She faced it with optimism and strength, never wavering in her hope.

I am establishing the Sharon Dickerson Foundation to honor her life, her leadership, and her enduring spirit of service. This Foundation exists to carry forward the values she lived every day: compassion without judgment, excellence in care, dignity for all, and second chances for those who need them most.

It is my hope that this Foundation will keep her memory alive; not only for those of us who loved her, but for the countless individuals whose lives will be touched by the work done in her name. 

Honoring her fight. Serving with heart. 

With Gratitude, 
Joel Rosenstock MD 
Founder of the Sharon Dickerson Foundation