The CHEST Foundation may not have funded bone marrow transplantation, but in 25 years of awarding grants, there are equally good stories to share. The impact of the Foundation is tremendous, and we’ve only just begun to share examples of where grant recipients went with their research or community service projects.
A recent grant story that was shared with me was that of Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, MHS, who received a community service grant to start a program educating children in the Baltimore community about lung health. This program was so moving that it inspired one of the Baltimore teachers to pursue a career in medicine and that individual is now a practicing MD.
This is just one example of the Foundation’s impact and it’s through these stories that we share the “why” behind every dollar that is raised, and my first goal is to tell these stories.
Another key focus of not only my presidency, but Dr. Ian Nathanson’s, as well, as we collaborated a lot on our roles, will be on member involvement and awareness. Even I wasn’t involved in the CHEST Foundation until years into my CHEST membership, so I understand that there are competing demands. But I also know that there is a lot to be gained from the work with the Foundation. I want the CHEST members to be excited about the Foundation and to want to support its efforts.
These two goals go hand in hand, and I look forward to sharing the Foundation’s impact with a new audience and reinvigorating the support of our existing donors.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to the reader?
We cannot accomplish anything without the support of our donors, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who has donated to the CHEST Foundation. I also encourage those who have never donated or have yet to donate this year to visit the Foundation’s website (foundation.chestnet.org) and explore some of the inspiring initiatives you can support to strengthen the impact of the CHEST Foundation because the possibilities are truly endless.