Winter 2009 - Arkansas Children's Hospital

HOSPITAL NEWSDr. Gregory Sharp receives the John H. Bornhofen, MD EndowedChair in Child Neurology medallion from Dr. Richard Jacobs(left), chairman of the UAMS department of pediatrics, and Dr.John Bornhofen, the chair’s namesake.Sharp Named Inaugural Holder ofBornhofen Chairin Child NeurologyIn January, Dr. Gregory B. Sharp* was installed as the inaugural recipientand steward of the John H. Bornhofen, MD Endowed Chair inChild Neurology.The chair was endowed with $1 million from the ACH AllocationCommittee, which is composed of faculty and hospital staff leadership. Itwas named in honor of the first pediatric neurologist in Arkansas, Dr.John Bornhofen*.“This chair is unique in several ways, one being the way it was funded,”says David Berry, senior vice president and chief operating officer atACH. “The ACH Allocation Committee chose to direct discretionaryfunds to establish this endowed chair. Establishing this chair was themost important action we could take to assure the positive future forchildren with neurological conditions.”Dr. Gregory Sharp celebrates his endowed chair with familymembers and colleagues. With Dr. Sharp are (from left) hiscousin Marshall Sharp, his sister Gail Isenman, Dr. JohnBornhofen, Dr. Sharp’s daughter Katie Sharp, a patient carepartner at ACH, and his cousin Arlon Hickman.At ACH, Dr. Sharp currently serves as medical director of theneuroscience center, the inpatient neuroscience unit, theneurophysiology lab and the pediatric brain tumor clinic. At theinvestiture ceremony, held on the ACH campus, colleagues of Dr. Sharpspoke about his devotion to child neurology and the neurology programat ACH.“When Greg returned to ACH after his fellowship, he began to builda world-class program,” said Dr. Mark Laney, president of the CookChildren’s Physician’s Network. “He was one of the founding neurologistshere who recruited others, including subspecialists, and grew thisinto a wonderful program.”Dr. Sharp received his medical degree from UAMS and completed hisresidency at ACH. He returned to ACH in 1990, after completing a fellowshipin pediatric neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.“Even very early in his career, it was apparent what a complete andcompetent physician Greg was, and I think that is due to his traininghere [at ACH],” said Dr. Marc Patterson, chair of the division of childand adolescent neurology at the Mayo Clinic.An endowed chair creates a fund set aside in perpetuity with the earningsdedicated to the support of the chairholder. Endowed chairs supporta designated program and help with retention and recruitment of doctorsand other caregivers.With the endowed chair, Dr. Sharp plans to push the neurologyresearch program forward by hiring a research assistant to assistneurology staff with projects. At the ceremony, Dr. Sharp remarked onthe impact of the endowed chair.“This chair has nothing to do with me; it is about children withneurological disorders, and maximizing the quality of life for those kids,”said Dr. Sharp. “This chair also honors the legacy of Dr. Bornhofen andhow many lives he has touched in his 40 years of serving patients.”*Gregory B. Sharp, MD, is medical director of the ACH NeuroscienceCenter, the inpatient neuroscience unit, the neurophysiology lab and thepediatric brain tumor clinic, and professor of pediatrics and neurology,UAMS College of Medicine.*John H. Bornhofen, MD, works in the outpatient neurology clinic atACH and is a clinical associate professor of pediatric neurology, UAMSCollege of Medicine.9