Photos by Fresh View Studio / Jenny Van Sickle.
The Mayfield Clinic celebrated its 75th anniversary November 10 with an elegant gala fundraiser at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. The event, co-chaired by William D. Tobler, MD, a Mayfield neurosurgeon, and James J. McGraw, a partner at Keating, Muething, & Klekamp PLL, welcomed more than 330 of Cincinnati’s health, corporate, and community leaders to celebrate a long legacy of neurosurgical excellence and innovation.Through sponsorships, ticket sales, a silent auction, and commemorative necktie sales, the gala raised more than $220,000 for the Mayfield Education & Research Foundation, which supports neuroscience research and educational programs for physicians and the community. The custom-designed “Skull & Spine” neckties and bowties continue to be available for sale online >>
Glen Mayfield, Vicky Hall, Sally Schreiner, and Frank Mayfield, Jr.
The family of the late Dr. Frank H. Mayfield received special recognition during the event program for Dr. Mayfield’s many contributions to the field. And a special video, produced by David Wecker at BrandFlick, intertwined the stories of three Mayfield patients with an account of Dr. Mayfield’s deep commitment to his patients, his research and inventions, and his efforts to educate fellow and future neurosurgeons.
Speakers included John M. Tew, Jr., MD, who gave an overview of the Mayfield Clinic’s history, and Dr. Tobler, who discussed the origins of the Mayfield Education & Research Foundation, which was founded upon Dr. Mayfield’s retirement in 1978.
Dr. Tew, a Mayfield neurosurgeon — and, like Dr. Mayfield, a Great Living Cincinnatian — gave an eloquent overview of the Mayfield Clinic’s history and shared his own fond memories of Dr. Mayfield.
“Frank Mayfield was an elegant person, always proper, polite, and attired in a blue suit,” Dr. Tew said. “He could walk with princes, but he never lost the common touch that so endeared him to all persons, whatever their stature or social position. His most lasting legacy will be the culture of collaboration and civic responsibility that he fostered.”
Dr. Tobler noted that the Mayfield Education & Research Foundation has supported more than 40 pilot research projects, many of which have led to larger federal- or industry-supported grants, and is currently supporting 18 research and education programs.
Dr. Tobler also announced the awarding of two new grants:
- A $50,000 grant to researchers at the University of Cincinnati Brain Tumor Center to support the investigation of EGFR signaling in malignant brain tumors. EGFR, which stands for epidermal growth factor receptor, is a molecule on the surface of cells. Genetic mutations of EGFR can cause uncontrolled cell division and can lead to cancers, such as the deadly glioblastoma. The research team, which hopes to find new molecules that can interfere with EGFR to stop tumor growth, is led by Ronald Warnick, MD, Chairman of the Mayfield Clinic and Medical Director of the UC Brain Tumor Center, and James Driscoll, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in UC’s Division of Hematology-Oncology.
- A $29,000 grant to support the study of how nerve cells are damaged or killed during a process called excitotoxicity following traumatic brain injury. This project continues the work of Jed Hartings, PhD, whose Department of Defense-funded research has revealed that tsunami-like waves of depolarization that spread across the brain after a traumatic injury worsen the initial damage and lead to worse patient outcomes.
The Mayfield Clinic and Mayfield Foundation thank all who attended and supported the event, including the Co-Presenting Sponsors, TriHealth and UC Health, and the Lead Sponsors, The Christ Hospital, Integra Foundation, PNC Bank, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, and US Bank.
— Kelly Bollinger