A Pediatric Urology Research Fund has been established in honor of Vanderbilt’s John W. Brock III, M.D., to support general research and fellows in pediatric urology.
The funding is through the support from corporate and individual donors, including Bank of America led by Tennessee president John Stein, Delta Dental Plan of Tennessee led by president and CEO Phil Wenk, D.D.S., and Dollar General Corporation led by chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling, all members of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Board and have been active in volunteering and giving.
“Excellence is what families expect at Children’s Hospital, and John Brock’s work is a perfect example,” said Dreiling.
“We are blessed that these individuals have recognized the great care that the Children’s Hospital provides to pediatric patients. That they have chosen to support pediatric urology specifically through their generous donation to this fund is humbling. This gift will make a difference,” said Brock, Monroe Carell Jr. Professor and Surgeon-in-Chief and director of Pediatric Urology at Children’s Hospital.
Vanderbilt’s pediatric urology program is recognized as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Its top 10 ranking reflects Vanderbilt’s commitment to providing children and their families with world-class care by one of the most experienced urology teams in the country, which sees more than 15,000 children and performs more than 2,200 surgeries a year.
“We wanted to effectively recognize people like John, who has given his life to the university and hospital and has brought incredible honor to both,” Wenk said. “He is very gracious. He’s a very kind and giving man, and an incredibly gifted practitioner. John had shown dedication to his department, and we wanted to support the hospital because of what he’s done.”
The department has built an internationally recognized research component, earning awards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society of Pediatric Urology, and a prestigious fellowship program, which provides additional training to meet the unique needs of children with urinary tract or genitalia problems.
“I’ve known John since we were undergraduates at Vanderbilt, and it is heartening to see his excellence recognized on a national and international level,” said Stein. “I am thrilled to assist in the journey to create this fund in his honor.”