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SharethisThe Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (TSFRE) is indebted to a small group of thoracic surgeons who foresaw the need for such an organization and took the initial steps in its development. Dr. Martin McKneally in 1984 first proposed to the Council of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) the concept of a philanthropic organization to support research and education in cardiothoracic surgery. Nothing definitive was done until December 1988 when, in order to accept a contribution from David Sheridan to support a lecture in honor of Dr. Ralph Alley, Dr. Robert Replogle, with the assistance of Walter Purcell, Executive Director of the STS, Rob Wynbrandt and Ted Tetzlaff, STS Councils-at-law, established a charitable organization, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Education and Research Foundation. The Foundation was formalized in early 1989 with a Board of Directors consisting of Dr. Robert Replogle, President, Walter Purcell, Treasurer, and Doctors Harold Liddle, Martin McKneally, Gerald Rainer, and Harold Urschel, Jr. In 1991, Dr.Liddle succeeded Dr. Replogle as President of the Board and, under his leadership, the name of the Foundation was changed to The Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (1992) to encompass all of thoracic surgery. The by-laws were rewritten and the Foundation received the support of the four major thoracic surgery professional societies: The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA), and the Western Thoracic Surgical Association (WTSA). The structure of the Foundation evolved to its current format with a Board of 16 members, six nominated by the STS, six by the AATS, 2 by both the STSA and the WTSA. The membership of the Board has included many of the leaders in the specialty. In 1993, Dr. McKneally succeeded Dr. Liddle as President of the Board and, under his leadership, the structure and activities of the Board and its standing committees (Education, Research, Development, Finance) were better defined to meet the research and education objectives of the Foundation. A full-time administrative staff was recruited.
The development of Foundation programs was greatly accelerated by three major gifts. In 1992, Dr. Eugene Braunwa1d and friends of Dr. Nina Braunwald established The Dr. Nina Starr Braunwald Memorial Fund to provide career development awards and research fellowships for women in academic surgery. In that same year, the Baxter Healthcare Corporation made a major commitment which supports Foundation research awards and set a precedent for industry support of the Foundation. In 1994, a major gift from Mr. David Sheridan made possible the development of The Executive Course in Management and Health Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. This fund continues to support scholarships for surgeons to attend the course and Alley-Sheridan scholars who spend a year's sabbatical at the Kennedy School of Government.
As of December 1999, the TSFRE had received contributions totaling $9,800,000. Contributors include the four major specialty societies (AATS, STS, STSA, WTSA), surgeons, industry, patients and friends. Thirty-three research awards totaling $1,857,000 have been awarded. Seventy-five research awards totaling $463,000 have been made. Sixty-eight of these were Alley-Sheridan scholarships for surgeons to attend the Harvard Course in Health Policy, and 7 to support Alley-Sheridan Scholars who spent a sabbatical year at Harvard. Those who have been recipients of Foundation Research and Education Awards are emerging as academic leaders and knowledgeable participants in health policy development at both the local and national levels.
Currently, the TSFRE is attempting to broaden its participation in the support of specialty initiated projects beyond our current programs in research and education. Database development, clinical outcome studies, patient and physician education programs, CTSNet and other Internet projects are initiatives that require support. The TSFRE is an appropriate organization, working with all of the constituent groups in cardiothoracic surgery, to coordinate the development of this support from the specialty, industry, patients and other philanthropically-minded individuals and groups.
The future of our specialty and the role of the TSFRE is exciting and challenging. Changes will occur in our practice, our educational programs, the direction of research, our responsibilities to our patients and to society. The TSFRE should evolve to provide support to the specialty in achieving these changes.
With globalization occurring in our specialty, as evidenced by our journals, our international meetings, the CTSNet and the common goals of our entire specialty here and abroad to advance the specialty and to provide the finest care for patients with cardiothoracic disease, one could very well envision international foundation programs. The European Association of Cardio-thoracic Surgery is exploring the development of a Foundation similar to the TSFRE, and it would seem quite natural for two such organizations to work together to achieve further growth and development of cardiothoracic surgery worldwide.
