Congratulations to Children’s Minnesota endowed chair recipients

On Dec. 3, 2018, Children’s Minnesota announced the institution’s first two endowed chairs. Established by philanthropic support from generous donors, an endowed chair is one of the highest honors that the organization can bestow on a member of Children’s professional staff. Endowed chairs honor and recognize the legacy of philanthropists who generously gave to create them. Endowed chairs recognize the clinical and academic accomplishments of chairholders, and provide a critical source of consistent financial support for their work. Most importantly, endowed chairs transform the lives of patients at Children’s Minnesota.

We are proud to announce the honoring of Joseph B. Lillegard, MD, PhD, inaugural chair holder of the Dr. Jim Sidman Endowed Chair in Fetal Research, and Brad A. Feltis, MD, PhD, inaugural chair holder of the Dr. Carol L. Wells Endowed Chair in Fetal Surgery. Dr. Lillegard is the director of research and open fetal surgery at the Midwest Fetal Care Center. Dr. Feltis is the surgical director for the Midwest Fetal Care Center.

“We are thrilled to recognize the establishment and the investiture of the first two endowed chairs at Children’s Minnesota,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, and chief executive officer at Children’s Minnesota. “It is an honor to be appointed the holder of an endowed chair, and an enduring tribute to the donor who establishes it. These endowed chairs will help foster clinical innovation and research so we can pursue breakthrough treatments, diagnoses and new cures for some of our smallest patients. Congratulations to Dr. Joseph Lillegard and Dr. Brad Feltis on this incredible honor, and thank you to our generous donors who have created an additional opportunity for Children’s to have a lasting impact on the lives of children and their families.”

The Dr. Jim Sidman Endowed Chair in Fetal Research honors the legacy of a remarkable clinician, researcher and teacher who spent his career advancing care at Children’s Minnesota. The Dr. Carol L. Wells Endowed Chair in Fetal Surgery honors the commitment of an incredible teacher who educated a generation of medical professionals throughout her career as a professor at the University of Minnesota.

The creation of these endowed chairs was made possible by the generosity of anonymous donors who are passionate about advancing the fetal medicine program at Children’s Minnesota.

Congratulations again to Dr. Joseph B. Lillegard and Dr. Brad A. Feltis on this honor.