Ugochukwu Egolum, MD, (second from left) is pictured with Maggie James (far left), major gifts officer for the NGHS Foundation; Debbie Jones, endowment donor and patient of Dr. Egolum; Donna Brown, executive director of GME; and Chris Bray, chief philanthropy officer and president of the NGHS Foundation.
In December 2019, Debbie Jones found herself in the emergency room at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville with kidney failure and heart failure. Almost six years later, in honor of one of the physicians who treated Debbie, the Joneses bestowed a generous gift that will enhance training for the next generation of heart doctors and help more patients have access to the same level of exceptional care.
Ugochukwu O. Egolum, MD, FACC, FHFSA, a heart failure cardiologist with Georgia Heart Institute, faculty member and founding program director of NGMC Gainesville’s Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship and medical director of the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) program, is the inaugural recipient of the Chuck and Debbie Jones Endowed Professorship in Cardiology and Medical Education. Dr. Egolum has been with NGMC since 2017 after completing his training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and has served in various leadership capacities including medical director for the Heart Failure Treatment and Recovery Center and Chief of Cardiology.
“My husband and I are so grateful for the expert, compassionate care that Dr. Egolum provided when my health was in crisis,” said Debbie. “We just wanted to give back in a meaningful way to the hospital and the entire team that treated me.”
“The idea for an endowed professorship grew out of conversations I had with Chuck when we were both serving on the NGHS Foundation board,” said Dr. Egolum. “Chuck and Debbie were very interested in supporting the mission of NGHS, including educating the cardiologists of the future. This is a historic honor for me and for NGHS, and I am deeply inspired by their example of putting gratitude into action to build a legacy.”
This prestigious professorship is the first such position to be established in the cardiology department of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). An endowed professorship is among the highest honors in academic medicine. It is a permanent, donor-funded position that recognizes a physician-leader’s exemplary contributions to their field.
“Dr. Egolum goes above and beyond with the expert care and sincere compassion he shows to each of his patients,” said Mudassar Ahmed, MD, chief cardiology officer of Georgia Heart Institute. “He also serves as a brilliant mentor and role model to our Cardiovascular Disease Fellows through his tireless work and leading by example.”
The endowment provides sustained financial support for academic, clinical and educational pursuits, allowing the holder to advance research, mentor trainees, innovate in patient care and expand their scholarly impact for generations to come.
“This honor not only celebrates Dr. Egolum’s outstanding leadership in cardiology and medical education, but it also reflects our health system’s commitment to excellence, gratitude and the enduring bond between patients and their physicians,” said Chris Bray, president and chief development officer for the NGHS Foundation. “It is a powerful testament to the role that compassionate, high-quality care plays in transforming lives and making a lasting difference.”
About NGHS Foundation
Founded in 1986, the Northeast Georgia Health System Foundation has contributed millions of dollars to health system improvements, complementary programs and partner organizations throughout the region. In an effort to further the mission of improving the health of the community in all that we do, donations to the Foundation help support innovation and enhancements at all five of Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s community hospitals, as well as many health initiatives of the system. It is truly through the generosity of friends and neighbors that many critical, life-saving projects, improvements and patient care services are available today. For more information, visit nghs.com/foundation.