In 2004 the Child Neurology Society renamed its Young Investigator Award in honor of Philip R. Dodge. Phil was very proud of the honor, humbly recognizing that in honoring him the Society hoped thereby to recommend to and recognize in future generations of child neurologists a set of fundamental values and practices, qualities of character, and habits of mind expressed through solidly grounded and applied research that would benefit all child neurologists and the patients and families they serve. Phil dedicated himself selflessly to his patients and to his trainees. He spent hours with both doing what he could to understand the neurological conditions that brought everyone together with a common purpose. He used all of his clinical talents to treat the children and to comfort the families while understanding our professional limitations and the need for new knowledge. To this extent he was a natural physician-scientist. He knew that the field must advance if we were ever going to do a better job as child neurologists.
For this to happen he believed deeply that the physician-in-training must become familiar with the science as well as the art of medicine. He encouraged his earliest trainees to move back and forth from the bedside to the bench long before there were federal and non-federal training grants to support clinical neuroscience and before such terms as translational neuroscience became commonplace. Now, in a time of tightening budgets and diminishing research support, it is our responsibility as a Society to guarantee this legacy in perpetuity by endowing the Dodge Award. Following Phil’s death in 2009, the CNS enthusiastically committed itself to this task, setting a goal of raising $1,000,000 for the endowment fund. Five years later, thanks to the contributions of 350 CNS members and a handful of large institutional contributors noted below, the goal has been reached and the Philip R. Dodge Young Investigator Award has been fully endowed.
The Dodge Award embodies the basic educational principles espoused by Phil from the beginning. Our roles as treating physicians will remain incomplete until we can effectively relieve our patients of the burden of their neurological diseases. The path forward to achieve this success is through the laboratory. Phil knew this instinctively from the very beginning. Thanks to all who contributed these past five years. Your commitment to the future--to those who will follow in your steps and to the children and families who will benefit--is what makes the field of child neurology and this Society of child neurologists so remarkable.
To view a list of previous recipients click here.
LIST OF 'CHARTER' CONTRIBUTORS (Original $1 million endowment goal)
Anonymous contributions, checks, and stock transfers will always be welcome and may be arranged by contacting:
Sue Hussman, Associate Director Child Neurology Society National Office 1000 West County Road E, Suite 290 Saint Paul, MN 55126 Tel: 651-486-9447 Fax: 651-486-9436
E-mail: nationaloffice@childneurologysociety.org; schussman@childneurologysociety.org