Philanthropic support for Gastroenterology (GI) patient care, medical research and clinical education at NorthShore changes the lives of patients in our community and makes a profound impact on quality and innovation in GI care across the country. Thanks to the generosity of donors, our nationally recognized GI physician-researchers are restoring patients’ quality of life, launching exciting research discoveries and mentoring the next generation of GI physicians.
Here are just a few examples of programs that philanthropy has helped advance, along with others that you can impact through your contributions.
- The Lifetract Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
The Lifetract Foundation was founded by Brian and Frank Gelber (Gelber Group) and their respective families and has been instrumental in the development and accreditation of the Lifetract Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, in partnership with University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. This competitive training program in Clinical Gastroenterology provides a diverse clinical experience and research in the study and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases for the next generation of specialists.
- Tat-Kin Tsang, MD, Research Fund
Dr. Tat-Kin Tsang was an accomplished GI specialist at NorthShore who made superior contributions to the field. Donors have created a fund in his memory which supports innovative research by fellows and residents, as well as seed funding for GI research.
Here are several examples of programs that could benefit from your help:
- Hepatology Program
Dr. Claus Fimmel has introduced a comprehensive screening program for Hepatitis C and B thanks to the generous support of an anonymous donor whose philanthropy has been essential to bringing early detection, treatment and risk deduction to patients who now experience a 99% cure rate. Patient education and support for treating liver diseases and liver cancer screenings are current additional needs.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center
Dr. Omar Khan has launched a definitive NorthShore IBD Center of Excellence—to be modeled after NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center—with emphasis on detecting genetic risk for IBD, tracking related risks for colorectal cancer, and counseling patients on personalized care and recovery. Support for faculty research and patient education programs are important.
- Clostridium difficile Program
Clostridium difficile is a bacterial disease of the GI tract causing diarrhea and is associated with great morbidity. NorthShore gastroenterologists have pioneered research in using stool transplantation in patients when they have recurrent and difficult to treat infections.
Providing sophisticated care with the latest technology to diagnose and treat a wide range of GI disorders is possible with generous support from donors in our community. Your charitable contributions can support patient care, research initiatives and medical education, helping NorthShore's Division of Gastroenterology accomplish its mission to "preserve and improve human life."
For More Information
To learn more about how you can help, please contact John H. Hanson, PhD, Director of Philanthropy, NorthShore Foundation at 224.364.7208 or at jhanson@northshore.org.