India, Oct. 21 -- Garry Shandling spent much of his career entertaining audiences, but his own experiences with illness also shaped his legacy. In February 2019, UCLA announced that the comedian's will had left $15.2 million to the David Geffen School of Medicine to support medical research. The bequest established four funds covering three specialized fields and broader medical research.

Shandling's interest in endocrine health was connected to his treatment for hyperparathyroidism at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The condition occurs when the parathyroid glands produce too much parathyroid hormone, which can cause calcium levels in the blood to rise. His experience gave him a direct understanding of the challenges faced by patient...