Renowned Hoag Physician Honored with Endowed Chair

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb. 4, 2013 - Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian today announced a $2 million gift from philanthropists Sue and Bill Gross to establish an endowed chair in honor of Dr. Melvin Silverstein, an internationally renowned breast cancer researcher and surgeon, and medical director of the Breast Care Center at Hoag.

“We are pleased that the new endowed chair recognizes Dr. Silverstein’s pioneering work and innovative leadership,” said Sue Gross, president, Gross Family Foundation. “We wholeheartedly support Hoag in providing the endowed chair model for medical leaders such as Dr. Silverstein to expand their impact far beyond their patients while advancing their fields.  The contributions Hoag’s endowed chairs are able to make with these resources are invaluable to the organization and the community.”

“I am simply overwhelmed by the remarkable generosity of Sue and Bill Gross,” Dr. Silverstein said. “This isn’t the first time they have turned their compassion for those facing breast cancer into major financial gifts that have enabled us to expand our fight against the disease.

“Their generosity helped build the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion which houses the Hoag Breast Care Center, Orange County’s leading center for breast care. Their newest major gift clearly shows they believe in our mission, and I am deeply touched by this honor and recognition.”

The newly endowed chair is named The Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery.

Dr. Silverstein, who came to Hoag five years ago after holding the Henrietta C. Lee Chair and a tenured full professorship in surgery at the University of Southern California, said he will use the funds generated by the new endowment to expand his training of other physicians. To date, 16 breast cancer surgeons from across the nation have come to USC/Hoag Breast Fellowship to study under Dr. Silverstein and his colleagues.  Dr. Silverstein estimates that, throughout his career, he has treated no fewer than 6,000 patients with breast cancer and he has trained a total of 32 fellows.

“If each fellow sees 5,000 patients during their careers, I will have been able to influence the care of more than 160,000 patients,” he said. “The Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery will allow me to train even more fellows, who will reach many additional patients throughout the world. Passing on knowledge is critical to our long-term efforts, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to do so.”

“Endowed chairs provide our physician leaders like Dr. Silverstein with additional financial resources and greater flexibility to inspire new ways of care and to quickly seize opportunities that may arise outside of the regular planning process,” said Richard Afable, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. “We are very grateful for this latest generous gift from Sue and Bill Gross. It will ensure that the Breast Care Center at Hoag, already the leading center of its kind in Orange County, continues to open new frontiers in the treatment of breast cancer.”

While historically associated with academic institutions, Hoag now has seven endowed chair positions that are enabling the hospital to expand and improve programs in cancer, cardiac care, memory loss and cognitive impairment, neurosciences, cardiovascular surgery, gastrointestinal disease, and now, breast care. Each chair allows Hoag to remain on the leading edge of improving technology and health care for its patients.

“The benefits of endowed chairs are immeasurable,” said Flynn A. Andrizzi, Ph.D., president, Hoag Hospital Foundation and senior vice president for development at Hoag. “They support and enhance critical advances in patient care. We’re very grateful to Sue and Bill Gross for their ongoing partnership in providing the finest health care possible to the communities we serve.”

List of Endowed Chairs at Hoag to Date:

·       Grace E. Hoag Executive Medical Director Chair, The Hoag Family Cancer Institute – Dr. Robert O. Dillman

·       Judy and Richard Voltmer Chair in Memory Loss and Cognitive Disorders, Hoag Neurosciences Institute – Dr. William R. Shankle

·       Robert and Georgia Roth Chair for Excellence in Cardiac Care– Dr. Dipti Itchhaporia

·       Ron and Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Chair, Hoag Neurosciences Institute – Dr. Michael Brant-Zawadzki

·       The James and Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery – Dr. Aidan Raney

The James and Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in GI Cancer – Dr. John Lipham

The Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery – Dr. Melvin Silverstein

About Dr. Melvin Silverstein

Dr. Silverstein is the author of more than 250 scientific papers, book chapters and abstracts. In addition, he has written four books dealing with breast cancer, including the first major textbook on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. He developed the Van Nuys Classification for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast as well as the USC Van Nuys Prognostic Index. Both of these tools are used all over the world for DCIS prognosis and treatment.  He has spoken throughout the world on breast cancer related subjects and has received numerous honors including the Impact Award for Lifetime Achievement in Breast Cancer from the National Consortium of Breast Centers, the Miami Breast Cancer Conference Lifetime Achievement Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lynne Cohen Foundation, and a lifetime achievement award from the Mexican Senologic Society. Dr. Silverstein is a past-president of The American Society of Breast Disease and is currently listed in “Best Doctors in America”.​ Previously, Dr. Silverstein founded The Breast Center in Van Nuys, Calif. in 1979 and served as its medical director and senior surgical oncologist until 1998. The Van Nuys Breast Center was the first freestanding breast center in the United States and served as a national and international model for breast center development and operation.  From 1998 until 2008, Dr. Silverstein was Professor of Surgery, with tenure and the Henrietta C. Lee Chair in Breast Cancer Research at the University of Southern California.

Please visit www.HoagHospitalFoundation.org.