A $1 million gift from an anonymous grateful patient family in December 2018 has established the Richard L. White, Jr., MD Distinguished Chair in Surgical Oncology at Levine Cancer Institute.
“This is a transformational gift that will help distinguish our surgical oncology services as among the most advanced in the country,” said Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD, President of Levine Cancer Institute. “We are honored to receive such generous support from grateful patients and families.”
Dr. White was honored at an investiture held at Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte on April 29, during which he was named the inaugural distinguished chair in surgical oncology.
Access to world class care is important to Dr. White, who expressed his gratitude for the support he has received for his program. “Thanks to gifts such as these, physicians like me have access to funds for innovative research, educational opportunities, and special projects that may lead to new therapies,” said Dr. White. “Not to mention, grateful patients who give back to our program are inspiring others to give.”
Mary Hall, MD, Chief Academic Officer for Atrium Health, underscored the importance of establishing distinguished chairs to help recruit and retain world-class talent. “Distinguished chairs are given the freedom to pursue ideas that can move medical science forward and lead to novel therapies to benefit patients.”
As the Distinguished Chair in Surgical Oncology, Dr. White will continue to lead and advance the Institute’s division of surgical oncology, renowned for its effective treatment of cancerous tumors. A truly distinguished physician and surgeon, Dr. White is recognized for developing Atrium Health’s novel immunotherapy program. He earned a medical degree from Columbia University and completed his residency at Georgetown University, followed by a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. White’s tenure at Atrium Health spans over 24 years.