Dear Colleague:

We are writing to you to communicate the establishment of a fund-raising campaign in honor of the late Dan Goodrich McNamara, for a lectureship at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session and other research and/or mentoring opportunities for pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease specialists and trainees in general.

We believe that Dan would be among the most deserving of our pioneers and mentors for this honor. As you know, Dan was widely known as a pediatric cardiologist and began his career with training by Helen Taussig at the Harriet Lane Home. In 1953, Dan relocated to Texas Children’s Hospital (although the hospital had not officially been opened) and became the head of congenital heart disease there.

He participated in pioneering work in the development of our specialty, particularly in clinical research of management outcomes and diagnostic methods. Surgical skills developed in Texas to support Dan’s desire to be proactive in treatment have obviously contributed to what our field is today. Dan also trained more than 35 current heads of pediatric departments; we have attached a table of those he trained. Many of you receiving this letter will, of course, see your names on the table.

We need $130,000 as an endowment to the American College of Cardiology Foundation to succeed in establishing this program. At present, contributions of $42,043 to the Dan G. McNamara Endowment have been received.

It is our firm belief that this is an important tradition to bring into the American College of Cardiology; not just for pediatric cardiology, but also for congenital heart disease medicine and surgery as a whole.

Please make out your check to ACCF and write “McNamara Endowment-1102” in the memo line. Mailing Address:
ACCF Charitable Gift Planning
2400 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
You may also make a donation on-line.

We look forward to hearing that our colleagues have stepped forward to accomplish this endeavor.

Sincerely,

David J. Sahn, MD, MACC
Professor of Pediatrics, Diagnostic Radiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology
Director, The Clinical Care Center for Congenital Heart Disease
Director, OHSU Interdisciplinary Program for Cardiac Imaging

Daniel J. Murphy, Jr, MD, FACC
Associate Professor of Pediatric Cardiology
Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University
Associate Director of Pediatric Cardiology Clinical Services
Stanford University Medical Center

Louis I. Bezold, MD, FACC
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Director of Echocardiography Laboratory
Texas Children's Hospital
Baylor College of Medicine

J. Timothy Bricker, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C.
Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine

Arthur Garson, Jr, MD, MACC
Dean, School of Medicine and Vice President
James Carroll Flippin Professor in Medical Science
University of Virginia

We are grateful for the donations made by the following: (Donors as of April, 2007)