Susan Donahue has made a gift to establish the Philip E. Donahue, MD, Lectureship in Benign Gastrointestinal Diseases, an endowed lectureship in the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Donahue was a graduate of La Salle College High School, La Salle College and Jefferson Medical College (class of 1968). After completing his surgical residency and a fellowship in Surgical Gastroenterology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, he extended his interest and expertise in gastric and esophageal diseases to include highly selective vagotomy procedures for peptic ulcer disease.
Dr. Donahue and his colleagues at the University of Illinois developed the principles and techniques of the “floppy Nissen Fundoplication” procedure to cure gastro- esophageal reflux disease without incurring what had been common, and sometimes disabling, side effects. He published more than 200 articles and book chapters devoted to the medical study of the GI tract, especially the esophagus and stomach.
At the time of his death in 2009, Dr. Donahue was Chairman of the Department of General Surgery at Cook County (John H. Stroger Jr.) Hospital in Chicago. He was also Professor Emeritus of Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago.
“My husband was very interested in the education of residents and staff,” Susan says, noting that he was repeatedly nominated for and was a three-time recipient of the “Attending Surgeon of the Year” award from his medical students. “I wanted to give to the medical school that helped train him, which he thought was important, as well.”
In accordance with Mrs. Donahue’s wishes, the focus of the lectureship is on detection, diagnosis and/or treatment of benign diseases of gastrointestinal tract – including the stomach, esophagus, small and large intestine, and accessory organs, such as the liver, pancreas or gallbladder – and on such topics as surgical endoscopy, hernia surgery and treatment of achalasia and gastrointestinal bleeding.
The first lecture was held on September 20, 2012, and was given by William Nealon, MD, FACS (JMC Class of 1979) on the topic of pancreatitis.
For additional information about planned giving, or to make a contribu- tion to the Department of Surgery, please contact Lucinda Dautrich in the Jefferson Foundation at 215-955-4126 or lucinda.dautrich@jefferson.edu
Recommended Citation
(2012)
"Susan Donahue Honors Husband with Endowed Lectureship in the Department of Surgery,"
Jefferson Surgical Solutions: Vol. 7:
Iss.
2, Article 8.
Available at:
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/jss/vol7/iss2/8