GIFTS OF NOTE recalls Alvaro Velasquez, assistant professor
Emory has trained more than 11,000 resi-
of medicine in the same Emory division. “His
dents and fellows in this specialty.
thing was: Can we do better? What else can we do for this patient that we haven’t done
NATUS MEDICAL
yet? If this were your family member, would you like to do something else?”
Fragile newborns at Emory Johns Creek
Hemophilia of
Hospital will stay connected to their families
Georgia has
through a gift from an Atlanta man who has
made gifts and
lived for almost a century: Colin Green, 89.
pledges of more
Green gave half of the $36,000 needed for
than $25 million
a new camera system in the Level III neona-
to Emory over
tal intensive care unit. The NICVIEW online
the years. One
Renee Read’s research into pediatric brain
streaming system will allow family members to
major result:
cancer received a $50,000 Rally Foundation
sign on from a phone, tablet, or computer and
Three endowed
for Childhood Cancer Research Grant. Read
chairs (includ-
focuses on glioblastomas, the deadliest pri-
monitor their child’s ongoing care. “I thought it was really, really neat that modern tech-
ing the Sidney F. Stein Chair in Hemophilia
mary malignant brain tumors in children. She
nology can help stressed-out parents,” says
and Hemostasis) and a professorship that
is an assistant professor in the departments of
Green, a retired aerospace engineer and for-
enables Emory to attract leading hematologists
Pharmacology and Hematology and Medical
mer Johns Creek resident. “I’m a great believer
to Georgia’s pediatric and adult treatment
Oncology in Emory School of Medicine and a
in contributing if I can, and contributing in as
programs at a time when many were leaving
member of the Winship Cancer Institute. “It is
meaningful a way as I can.”
for oncology. The organization also funds
important to fund promising scientists like Dr.
Emory research that is targeting gene therapy,
Read as we work toward closing the childhood
expected to lessen hemophilia patients’ need
cancer research funding gap so that no parent
for clotting factor. In honor of their CEO
ever has to hear that there is no curative
of 30 years, Patricia Dominic, who recently
option for their child,” says Rally founder and
retired, Hemophilia of Georgia gave $2 million
CEO Dean Crowe.
to Emory to fund fellowships to train future clinicians and researchers focused on bleeding disorders. To develop clinical scientists, the
The Taylor Foundation
organization gave generous grants to Emory
gave $10,000 for the
For 17 years, Emory pulmonologist and Pro-
Assistant Professors of Pediatrics Robert Sido-
10,000 Women Heart
fessor of Medicine Kenneth Leeper (above,
nio and Shannon Meeks, and Assistant Pro-
Screening Project, which
middle) went beyond what was required for
fessor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
aims to improve the
Emory patients, students, and research. To
Sean Stowell. (See related article, p. 10)
Leeper, who died last year, the best outcomes
heart health of African American women in metro Atlanta through free screenings for hypertension. The project
in medicine depended on teamwork, and his hearty laugh and gift for storytelling inspired
An anonymous donor has committed
is part of the Emory Women’s Heart Center,
others to do their best on behalf of patients.
$150,000 to support the Emory Department
directed by Gina Lundberg, who founded
Gifts from family and friends established the
of Otolaryngology Resident Education Fund,
the first cardiac prevention program for
Kenneth Leeper Memorial Education Fund,
honoring the mentorship of former depart-
women in Georgia in 1998. Heart disease is
which supports clinical research and teaching
ment director John Turner Jr 52C 55M,
the leading cause of death for women, and
at Emory University Hospital Midtown, where
John Per-Lee, and William Grist 81MR. The
Lundberg pointed out that two-thirds of all
Leeper was based. The fund will also sponsor
department, established with seven faculty
people with hypertension are undiagnosed or
projects by nurses in the ICU, respiratory
members and eight residents, has grown
undertreated. Part of the mission of the Taylor
therapists, and other care team members. “For
to 30 clinical and research faculty and 20
Foundation, based in McDonough, Ga., is to
Ken, it was never how well are we doing,”
residents working at six sites around Atlanta.
recognize and further quality health care.
Fall 2016
35