$5 Million Gift from Lorraine and Bill Dodero Creates One-of-a-Kind Limb Preservation Center at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute
CLEVELAND – A generous gift of $5 million from Lorraine and Bill Dodero will establish the Lorraine and Bill Dodero Limb Preservation Center at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. Led by Mehdi Shishehbor DO, MPH, PhD, interventional cardiologist and a pioneer in the field of limb preservation, the Dodero Center will revolutionize care for patients at risk of losing a leg due to peripheral artery disease and diabetes.
“Amputation statistics are bleak, and amputation should be a last resort,” said Dr. Shishehbor, President of UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, and Angela and James Hambrick Chair in Innovation at UH. “This is why we are passionate about pursuing alternatives to amputation for our patients. When we save a limb, we save a life. We are deeply grateful to the Doderos for their heartfelt recognition and unwavering support of this worthy mission.”
Critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) represents the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD), when poor circulation due to blockages in the arteries causes symptoms including numbness, sores that will not heal, gangrene, and extreme pain. It is estimated that 2 million Americans may be living with CLTI and, for those with comorbidities like diabetes, traditional treatments to save the leg may not be feasible. For patients with no other options, amputation may become imminent. But nearly half of all patients with CLTI will die within two years after amputation, which is higher than the mortality rates for breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined. Successfully restoring blood flow takes an experienced team with specific expertise.
The Lorraine and Bill Dodero Limb Preservation Center will aim to lessen the burden of amputation by creating a national destination for limb preservation care; discovering new and uninvestigated treatments for CLTI and diabetes associated arterial diseases; educating more physicians at every level on innovations in vascular health and revascularization; and ensuring patients facing amputation at UH and beyond know they have options.
“The importance and need for Dr. Shishehbor’s work is critical, not just for saving limbs, but saving lives,” said Lorraine Dodero. “Bill and I are thrilled to support his groundbreaking work and help bring hope to patients at risk of amputation.”
The Doderos previously established the Lorraine and Bill Dodero Chair in Heart Failure & Transplantation at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute and, over the past two decades, have made leadership gifts to support UH Seidman Cancer, the Phase II expansion of UH Ahuja Medical Center, and UH’s COVID response. The Doderos give generously through The Sam J. Frankino Foundation and the Corinne L. Dodero Foundation for the Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Shishehbor has dedicated his career to limb salvage. He has served on multiple societal guidelines, published more than 200 manuscripts on this topic, and has trained hundreds of physicians worldwide. His work has been recognized nationally and internationally. He served as co-principal investigator for the PROMISE II U.S. pivotal clinical trial which found the novel LimFlow therapy enabled most patients (76 percent) to avoid amputation. The New England Journal of Medicine published results from that trial leading to the FDA approval of LimFlow in September of 2023. UH is also at the forefront of multidisciplinary team-based care with its Limb Salvage Advisory Council (LSAC) which includes multiple specialists who meet before scheduling an amputation to discuss all other paths forward. Findings published in American Heart Association’s Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions showed this novel system-wide team reduced major amputations by 76 percent.
“UH is committed to improving the health of all people by advancing science and human health,” said Dr. Shishehbor. “Statistically, amputees are disproportionately of lower socioeconomic status and African Americans are up to four times more likely to undergo an amputation than white Americans. All people should have the opportunity to receive the necessary medical resources and support for a healthier life, regardless of their status in the community or their race.”
As part of the new center, UH will also coordinate an annual international conference for limb preservation in Cleveland, Ohio, sharing advances and best practices with experts across the globe.
“Through this center, Lorraine and Bill are helping to expand access to lifesaving vascular resources and enhance opportunities for medical innovation and discovery,” said Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, UH CEO and Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. “Their generous gift furthers our Because of You campaign and is a stunning example of the compassion and charity with which they live their lives.”
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