Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Establishes the David N. Pincus Endowed Global Health Fellowship Program

PHILADELPHIA, March 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has received a $10 million gift from the Pincus Family Foundation to endow the David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship Program at CHOP and facilitate the advancement of children's health across the globe, with a special focus on the most vulnerable children living in low- and middle-income countries.

"The endowment of the David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship Program ensures that CHOP can continue to do innovative work in our partner countries, such as Botswana and the Dominican Republic, and have the ability to respond to wherever the need is greatest," said Madeline Bell, President and CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "The Pincus Family Foundation's continued commitment to children and global health will greatly impact and positively change future generations of children and their families around the world."

"My father was committed to helping the world's most vulnerable children have a chance at life. This program not only answered a critical need, but also helped the communities where these children lived," said Leslie Pincus Elliot, daughter of David N. Pincus. "He would be so thrilled and proud to know how this partnership with CHOP has grown and flourished, all that it has accomplished thus far and all that it will be in the years to come now thanks to the endowment of the David N. Pincus Global Fellowship Program at CHOP."

The David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship is a premier program in the Global Health Center at CHOP. Established in 2008 by a generous gift from David N. Pincus, the three-year, fully funded fellowship program provides opportunities for Global Health fellows who not only want to provide clinical service and education in a global setting, but who are also problem solvers interested in working with their mentors to design and implement projects and research studies that will benefit children living in CHOP's partnering countries.

"For more than a decade, the Pincus family has been a vital partner to CHOP in training future leaders in pediatric global health through clinical, teaching, research and advocacy experiences in our partner countries," said Dr. Joseph St. Geme, Physician-in-Chief and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Thanks to the Pincus Family Foundation's continued support, CHOP is at the center of expertise in global health, and former Pincus fellows are pediatric leaders across the U.S. and around the world."

"When Mr. Pincus interviewed me in 1998, he made it clear that whoever worked for him had to be willing to join him in his quest to change the world, one child at a time," said Danielle Scott, Executive Director of the Pincus Family Foundation. "I am overjoyed knowing that through the endowment of the David N. Pincus Global Health Fellowship at CHOP, part of David Pincus remains to continue that mission." 

During the course of their fellowships, Pincus fellows have been awarded grants, published research findings in medical journals, taught over 1,500 medical students and doctors from their host countries and treated children during more than 10,000 patient visits. The endowment of the David N. Pincus Fellowship Program will build on the impact made thus far, accelerate progress toward global health and break down barriers for families accessing healthcare and resources.

"On behalf of the entire Global Health Center, we thank the Pincus family for their tremendous generosity and longstanding partnership," said Dr. Andrew Steenhoff, Medical Director of CHOP's Global Health Center. "Without their philanthropic support, we would not have the capacity to continue treating children in low- and middle-income countries, partnering with our valued colleagues in these countries and meeting the changing needs."

According to Dr. Stephen W. Nicholas, retired professor of pediatrics and public health at Columbia University, the idea for the fellowship came about on a trip that he and Mr. Pincus made to an AIDS orphanage in South Africa. "The need to produce academic leaders in global health was urgent," Nicholas said. "Of several places the fellowship could have been created, CHOP's visionary leadership and institutional support made it the ideal place for the new program."

For more information on CHOP's partnership with the Pincus Family Foundation, visit: CHOP and Pincus Family Foundation Partnership: Fostering 10 Years of Breakthroughs around the World.

To learn more about the impact of CHOP's Global Health Center, visit: Impact of Global Health Center.

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 564-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.

Contact:
Amy Burkholder
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
267-426-6083
[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

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