Greenwich Hospital today announced that it received an endowment gift to establish “The Jean and David W. Wallace Medical Director Neurovascular Surgery Program at Greenwich Hospital.” Leading cerebrovascular neurosurgeon, Akli Zetchi, MD, will serve as inaugural director of this esteemed position.
The $5 million gift will create a permanent footprint for neuroscience-specific patient care, research, and education at Greenwich Hospital.
It will have an immediate impact in the delivery of innovative techniques for treating patients with stroke, carotid disease, brain aneurysms and vascular malformations of the brain and spinal cord. Patients needing neurosurgery for brain tumors, adult-onset hydrocephalus and traumatic brain injury will receive the highest level care with state-of-the-art technology. This gift further secures the hospital’s stature of excellence in the neurosciences in partnership with Yale New Haven Health and Yale School of Medicine.
Officers of The Jean and David W. Wallace Foundation, longtime benefactors of Greenwich Hospital with an active interest in the field of neuroscience, said, “the gift is an acknowledgement of Greenwich Hospital’s vision for advanced neurological and neurosurgical standards of care.”
Recent transformational gifts in the amount of $4,250,000 from the Wallace Foundation accelerated the hospital’s neuroscience capabilities through procurement of sophisticated 3D technology; a capital fund for the construction of a neuroscience interventional laboratory; and an EEG system for advanced monitoring of patients having seizures.
Board-certified in neurosurgery from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Dr. Akli Zetchi has expertise in brain surgery and interventional neuroradiology. His research interests span diseases and structures of the brain, carotid artery and spinal cord as well as testing tools for improving surgical education.
“I am honored to be the first holder of The Jean and David W. Wallace Medical Director Neurovascular Surgery Program. At Greenwich Hospital we are now offering all the latest treatment options for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, including neuroendovascular therapies for brain aneurysms, vascular malformations and carotid stenosis. We have medical expertise and sophisticated technology that saves brain tissue and can prevent or reverse the symptoms of stroke,” Dr. Zetchi said.
“This is a groundbreaking investment in Greenwich Hospital as it recognizes the extraordinary talent of one of our revered physicians while ensuring the future of neurovascular surgical services in perpetuity. The Jean and David W. Wallace Foundation are leading the way in support of our Greenwich Hospital endowment with a gift that will benefit our community with accessibility to the highest level of neurovascular care at any hour of the day,” said Diane P. Kelly, president of Greenwich Hospital.
As Greenwich Hospital embarks on a multi-year growth plan, permanent endowed positions honoring its physicians will lead to unique funding opportunities. Each clinical department has a select and limited number of these opportunities, which are granted to attract and retain the most talented physician experts. Endowments of this kind carry with them the prominence of a named position honoring the donor and physician.