Photo by Kevin Warn
Hoag Hospital Foundation celebrated the establishment of three new endowed chairs during a March 24 investiture ceremony.
The anticipated event, halted previously by the COVID-19 pandemic, included a white coat processional of Hoag physicians, led by its endowed chair holders, and speeches from the honored physicians and donors.
While endowed chairs are a hallmark of academic institutions, they are rare in the community hospital setting. Thanks to the generosity of its donors, Hoag is now home to 20 endowed chairs, which fund innovative therapies and programs in cancer, breast care, women’s health, aortic care, cardiac care, cardiovascular surgery, neurosciences, memory loss and cognitive impairment, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes and orthopedics.
“Through the collective power of such visionary donors, these chairs underscore Hoag’s commitment to developing innovative treatments and expanding our programs,” said Flynn A. Andrizzi, PhD, president of the Hoag Hospital Foundation. “Philanthropy plays a critical role in making them possible, and we are grateful for the donors who believe in these physicians and Hoag to make these commitments.”
Supporting an endowed chair at Hoag is an opportunity to help advance the specialties of Hoag’s world-class clinicians. For some donors, it’s also an opportunity to honor the legacy of an esteemed colleague. Others are inspired by leading innovation, and some are grateful patients committed to furthering the impact of their physician.
All play an important role in helping Hoag lead research and patient-centered health care forward on a national scale.
Three new endowed chairs have been awarded to:
Robert S. Gorab, MD, Tom & Mayumi Adams Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery.
Dr. Gorab is the immediate past chief medical officer of the Hoag Orthopedic Institute (HOI) and program chairman of the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Fellowship. A founding member of HOI, Dr. Gorab is actively involved in research, surgeon education and the design and development of orthopedic implants and procedures. As the Tom & Mayumi Adams Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Gorab will allocate funds from his endowed chair to support two orthopedic fellows each academic year.
Since establishing an endowed chair in orthopedic surgery, Tom and Mayumi Adams, both former athletes, have become engaged in a number of HOI programs, including Back to Play, an educational event that exposes high school students to careers in health care, and the annual Orthopedic Fellowship Research Day, where HOI fellows present on their research over the academic year.
Dr. Louis, director of the Skull Base and Pituitary Tumor Program at the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, is pioneering diverse uses for virtual and augmented reality technologies, from preoperative simulation and rehearsal surgeries to pain management and stress relief.
As the Empower360 Endowed Chair in Skull Base and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery and in his role as director of XR development, Dr. Louis is laying the groundwork for Hoag’s future as a stronghold in experiential reality use for physician education, patient care and technological advances.
The Empower360 Foundation is a community of patient advocates, philanthropists and strategic partners devoted to increasing access to virtual and augmented reality technology for physicians and patients regardless of socioeconomic status. Empower360 awards grants to individuals and nonprofit institutions, such as hospitals, surgical centers, imaging centers and more. A great honor for Hoag, Empower360 chose to partner with Dr. Louis due to their belief in Hoag as a pioneer in VR.
Dr. Myla, medical director of Cardiac and Endovascular Labs and cardiovascular research at the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, initiates dozens of groundbreaking clinical trials investigating innovative medical devices and procedures focused on stroke prevention.
His latest trials focus on everyday devices, such as the Apple Watch, to aid in the early detection of heart attacks and atrial fibrillation.
In addition to these trials, Dr. Myla is utilizing his role as the Dr. Joel H. Manchester Endowed Chair in Interventional Cardiology to produce educational simulation videos for patients to alleviate anxiety prior to entering the catheterization laboratory or operating room.
When Hoag’s former chief of cardiology, Dr. Joel Manchester, passed in 2003, his family, colleagues, former patients and community members established an endowed chair in his honor. Alongside Colleen Manchester, principal donors include Ron and Sandi Simon, who have supported Hoag for nearly two decades. Together with 23 other donors, they envisioned the endowed chair as an opportunity to continue Dr. Manchester’s legacy of care. Their generosity continues to elevate Hoag’s cardiology program.
Thanks in part to philanthropy, Hoag has become one of the nation’s finest health care systems, serving a diverse and growing population. The Hoag Hospital Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Hoag, is an integral partner in Hoag’s vision to become a trusted and nationally recognized health care leader. Through the generosity of a dedicated community of supporters, the Hoag Hospital Foundation completed Hoag Promise, Our Campaign to Lead, Innovate & Transform in 2020. The Campaign far surpassed its goal of $627 million, driving Hoag’s continued clinical leadership, innovative spirit and transformative potential.
For more information about opportunities to support Hoag, please visit www.hoaghospitalfoundation.org.
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