Nearly 50 Honor Your Mentor Funds Pay Tribute and Homage

Neurosurgeons, institutions, societies and corporations pay tribute and show respect to those who have served and continue to serve as mentors to others in the neurosurgical specialty. Each fund was established with a specific purpose in mind: to reflect the passion and life-focus of that individual. The mentors have inspired, taught and provided guidance to neurosurgeons throughout their careers and, in many cases, continue to do so.

The 49 Honor Your Mentor (HYM) Funds represent all of the subspecialties: cerebrovascular; spine and peripheral nerves; neurotrauma and critical care; pain; pediatrics; stereotactic and functional surgery; and tumors; special interests such as humanitarian efforts, leadership, mentorship, military neurosurgeons, neuroanatomical research, research training, socio-economic education, advocacy and the RUNN course; and twelve educational institutions.

In 2014, six HYM funds were launched with total pledges of $177,195 from 37 donors. Today, there are 49 HYM funds; an additional four funds are pending. Pledges to HYM funds now total $4,428,170 from 1,007 donors.

At the time of this report, the fund managers for seven funds began disbursing monies for the specific purposes of their fund:

  • RALPH G. DACEY Fund –Presented the inaugural medal and award for the Dacey Cerebrovascular Research Lectureship.
  • STEWART B. DUNSKER Fund –Presented a three-year $15,000/year research grant award.
  • REGIS W. HAID, JR. Fund –Provided support for the administration and launch of the Effectiveness of Fusion for Grade I Spondylolisthesis study.
  • CHARLES KUNTZ IV Fund –Funds the awards for resident travel to the AANS/CNS Section on the Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Annual Meeting.
  • ANDREW T. PARSA Fund –Awarded a $50,000 tumor research grant.
  • DONALD O. QUEST Fund –Provides support for the Quest Research Awards annually.
  • ALBERT L. RHOTON, JR. Fund –Awarded one $40,000 Young Clinician Investigator Award and two Medical Student Summer Research Fellowships.

Current HYM Fund honorees (as of June 30, 2018):

  • Leland AlbrightPurpose: To support neurosurgery resident and fellow education in Africa
  • Albert L. Rhoton Jr.Purpose: To support maintenance and development of The Rhoton Collection® and fund micro neuroanatomical research fellowships
  • Allan H. FriedmanPurpose: To honor Dr. Allan Friedman and his leadership of the RUNN Course by supporting the RUNN Course
  • Andrew T. ParsaPurpose: To fund a fellowship or research grant for brain tumor research
  • Anthony MarmarouPurpose: To fund TBI registry research and/or young investigator research in ICP and brain edema, and to support the Marmarou Named Lectureship on ICP, cerebral edema and/or TBI related topics at the Neurotrauma Section session of the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting
  • Charles B. WilsonPurpose: To fund brain tumor research
  • Charles G. DrakePurpose: In memory of the late Charles Drake, Professor and Chairman Emeritus at the University of Western Ontario
  • Charles H. TatorPurpose: To support basic science research in spinal cord injury
  • Charles Kuntz IVPurpose: To fund awards for residents and fellows to present research at the Spine Section’s Annual Meeting
  • Charles L. Branch, Sr.Purpose: To support clinical outcomes research for lumbar interbody fusion and cervical fusion using registry data
  • Christopher I. ShaffreyPurpose: To support an International Scholar Surgeon to attend the DSPN Meeting to present a paper
  • David L. Kelly, Jr.Purpose: To support Resident Education and Research within Department of Neurosurgery at Wake Forest University
  • David KlinePurpose: To support education and clinical or basic science research in peripheral nerve
  • Donald O. QuestPurpose: To fund the Quest Research Awards
  • Ed BenzelPurpose: To support clinical outcomes studies to analyze posture and deformity in cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients
  • Edward R. LawsPurpose: To support resident education and research within the Department of Neurosurgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Edward S. ConnollyPurpose: To support clinical outcome studies, clinical or basic science research and fellowships in spine
  • Henry G. SchwartzPurpose: To support staff and resident education and research within the department of Neurosurgery training program at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Hoi-Sang UPurpose: To support research into the molecular mechanisms of neurosurgical diseases with a focus on neurotrauma, neuro-oncology or aging
  • Howard J. SilbersteinPurpose: To promote resident attendance at national meetings and continued development of the University of Rochester Neurosurgery Cranial and Spine Lab
  • James T. RutkaPurpose: To support the Tumor Section in their area of greatest need
  • John A. Jane Sr.Purpose: To support resident education and research through the NREF at the University of Virginia
  • John C. OakleyPurpose: To support education and research in the study of pain
  • Jon H. RobertsonPurpose: To support education and research within the University of Tennessee neurosurgery resident program.
  • Karin M. MuraszkoPurpose: To help develop leaders in neurosurgery by providing mentoring and didactic education
  • Katie O. OrricoPurpose: To support education on health policy, socio-economics and public and private sector advocacy
  • Kent C. NewPurpose: To fund research and the clinical treatment of spinal cord injury
  • Kim J. BurchielPurpose: To support education and research in the Neurosurgical treatment of pain
  • Lyal G. LeibrockPurpose: To contribute funds for medical students, residents and young neurosurgeons for socio-economic education.
  • Martin H. WeissPurpose: To support research training in residents
  • Peter J. JannettaPurpose: To honor the memory of the late Dr. Jannetta and support research, education and innovation within Department of Neurosurgery at UPMC
  • Philip E. StiegPurpose: To fund a skull base research fellowship at the Weill Cornell Medical College Dept. of Neurological Surgery
  • Michael ScottPurpose: To support the R. Michael Scott Lectureship and related educational efforts at Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Ralph G. DaceyPurpose: To fund the Ralph Dacey Cerebrovascular Research Lectureship at the CV section’s Annual Meeting
  • Regis W. Haid Jr.Purpose: To be utilized for spinal clinical outcomes studies and fellowship research projects
  • Richard G. FesslerPurpose: To support basic/clinical research directed toward developing or evaluating new surgical techniques or treatment of spinal cord injury
  • Robert E. HarbaughPurpose: To support rigorous research in registry-based clinical research in neurosurgery
  • Robert F. HearyPurpose: To support mentorship of medical students and resident as well as facilitate involvement in organized neurosurgery
  • Roy A. E. BakayPurpose: To fund research in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery
  • Sanford J. LarsonPurpose: To fund award for best spine research paper at the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting
  • Sanjiv BhatiaPurpose: To fund an international pediatric neurosurgery and/or pediatric epilepsy surgery traveling fellowship; and/or a Bhatia lectureship; and/or pediatric neurosurgery medical missions
  • Shelly D. TimmonsPurpose: To support leadership development for all young neurosurgeons
  • Stewart B. DunskerPurpose: To support clinical or basic science research and fellowships in spine
  • Thoralf M. Sundt, Jr.Purpose: To fund education and research within the Mayo Clinic Residency Program
  • Ulrich BatzdorfPurpose: To fund basic science research in spinal cord injury
  • Volker K. H. SonntagPurpose: To support clinical outcome studies, clinical or basic science research and fellowships in spine
  • Warren C. Boop Jr.Purpose: To support resident education and research at the University of Arkansas
  • Warren R. SelmanPurpose: To support clinical or basic science research and fellowships in cerebrovascular
  • Global HumanitarianPurpose: To support global neurosurgical programmatic efforts
  • Military HeroesPurpose: To honor the men and women who have served selflessly in the military for our country with funds for military surgeons and surgeons-in-training