Ribbon Cutting Honors Donors for Trailblazing Investments

In an intimate ribbon cutting ceremony, Greenwich Hospital celebrated the establishment of two groundbreaking endowed named positions on June 7. The festivities honored two donor families whose generous gifts created the first-of-its-kind positions in the areas of infectious disease and neuroscience.

Greenwich Hospital President Diane P. Kelly led the program by offering her gratitude to the visionary donors: Donald and Mimi Kirk; and the Jean and David W. Wallace Family Foundation, represented by Mary Wallace Strizek and Anne Wallace Juge, daughters of Jean and David Wallace.

A former chairman of the Board of Trustees and volunteer at Greenwich Hospital, Don Kirk, along with his wife, Mimi, also a dedicated hospital volunteer, made the generous gift to endow a position in infectious diseases.

Steadfast champions and benefactors of the hospital, the Jean and David W. Wallace Foundation, have previously supported Greenwich Hospital’s vision for advanced neurological and neurosurgical standards of care. Anne Wallace Juge, Treasurer, Greenwich Hospital Board of Trustees, has worked steadfastly in support of the hospital for many years.

These gifts create a permanent fund for the physician positions, and serve to maintain and grow the hospital’s regional reputation for innovation and excellence in these two clinical areas.

“The lasting impact of your generosity cannot be overstated. Nor can we overestimate the importance of these positions in changing the trajectory of Greenwich Hospital for tomorrow and beyond,” Greenwich Hospital Board Chairman W. Robert Berkley, Jr.

Gavin McLeod, MD, a specialist in infectious disease, is the current holder of “The Mimi and Don Kirk/James R. Sabetta, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Greenwich Hospital.” Akli Zetchi, MD, board-certified neurosurgeon, is the current holder of “The Jean and David W. Wallace Medical Director Neurovascular Surgery Program at Greenwich Hospital.”

Both doctors helped cut the ribbon, together with Mrs. Kirk and Mrs. Juge. Mrs. Strizek attended the ceremony virtually from her home in Colorado. Joining them for the ceremonial ribbon cutting was Ms. Kelly, Mr. Berkley, Susan Salice, Chair, Board of Trustees Development Committee, and Dr. Karen Santucci, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

Noël Appel, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Greenwich Hospital, and members of the Office of Development team, joined in this special celebration in honor of the donors and the physicians their investments will support.

The ribbon cutting was followed by a small reception in the hospital’s Library Atrium.