SAN FRANCISCO (October 20, 2024) — The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation acknowledges exemplary investment in the mission of the ACS by presenting the Distinguished Philanthropist Award to a remarkable recipient, Raghuvir Gelot, MD, FACS, at the ACS Clinical Congress 2024 in San Francisco. This award is the ACS Foundation’s highest and most significant honor.
The Distinguished Philanthropist Award, established in 1989, celebrates outstanding individuals who have significantly supported the ACS Foundation's mission to advance surgical practices, research, and patient care.
“Dr. Gelot's generosity and commitment to the College inspire others to give, and his philanthropic spirit has left a lasting impact,” said H. Randolph Bailey, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Foundation. “We are honored to recognize him as this year’s Distinguished Philanthropist. His contributions have significantly furthered the College's goals and initiatives.”
Over the past decade, Distinguished Philanthropist Award recipients — along with numerous other philanthropic Fellows and friends of the College — have contributed more than $23 million to support ACS programs, including scholarships, research awards, and initiatives that promote lifelong learning for surgeons.
A Fellow of the ACS since 1996, Dr. Gelot is an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon who dedicated his career to serving patients at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie, North Carolina. His philanthropy has made a significant impact on the surgical community and global healthcare.
In 2008, Dr. Gelot established the Baxiram S. and Kankuben B. Gelot Community Surgeons Travel Award, which provides funding for international physicians to attend the ACS Clinical Congress. In 2013, he also created the Kankuben B. Gelot Scholarship, which offers stipends to nurses or residents to participate in the joint annual meeting of the North and South Carolina ACS Chapters. Additionally, Dr. Gelot funds an annual award to support the resident poster/paper competition at the event.
“I have never thought or dreamed of receiving this prestigious award and to be named alongside the giants of the American College of Surgeons for someone as obscure as I am is a great honor,” Dr. Gelot said when he learned of the honor.
“His words are a reflection of his modesty,” said Kenneth Sharp, MD, FACS, a member of the ACS Board of Regents and Liaison to the ACS Foundation Board, “Dr. Gelot is anything but obscure and deserves this recognition.”
For more information about the American College of Surgeons Foundation and the Distinguished Philanthropist Award, visit the ACS website.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The ACS is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The ACS has approximately 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the ACS.
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