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Endowed chair honors founder of McGovern Center

By Darla Brown

Honoring the spark that became the blaze known as the John P. McGovern, M.D. Center for Health, Humanities, and Human Spirit is the goal of the newly established endowed chair for that center.

The Samuel E. Karff DHL Chair at the John P. McGovern, M.D. Center for Health, Humanities, and the Human Spirit recognizes the founder of the center, Rabbi Karff, who began the program seven years ago on a smaller scale in the School of Public Health – but with the same mission, teaching health care providers the importance of healing the whole person, not just the disease.

"I was invited by Dr. David Low, (then president of the UT Health Science Center) to begin a program at the School of Public Health to teach the nonbiomedical determinants of health and well being, and it mushroomed beyond my fondest expectations," says Karff, adjunct professor of society and health.

The center, which is now directed by Tom Cole, Ph.D., and associate directors Rabbi Samuel Karff, DHL, and Stanley Reiser, M.D., Ph.D., is based at the UT Medical School and is a tribute to Sir William Osler, who taught that the practice of medicine is an art, not a trade.

"The whole program just ‘smacks' of Sam Karff – concerned about the receiver of the care, the patient, and, too, he is concerned about the caregiver. He is attacking a problem that is worthy, and he is just a wonderful person," says Barry Lewis, longtime UT Health Science Center development board member and friend of Karff's.

The idea to fund a chair in Rabbi Karff's name came soon after last year's $3.5 million gift from the John P. McGovern Foundation to fund the center.

"When the McGovern Foundation was good enough to fund an entire center for Rabbi Karff's program, I wanted to make sure that his name was remembered with the program through the years," Lewis adds.

It didn't take long to garner support, including the backing of James Willerson, M.D., president of the health science center; former dean Stanley Schultz, M.D.; and Dr. Cole – all of whom wanted to recognize Rabbi Karff's role in founding the program.

"I want to give thanks to all of the people who contributed – and that is everyone we asked. We quit when we crossed the bridge of how much money we needed to raise for the endowed chair. Yet when some people heard of the project, they still wanted to participate and that is quite a compliment to Rabbi Karff," says Lewis, who spearheaded the project and has known Rabbi Karff and his wife, Joan, since they moved to Houston in the early 1970s.

"I am humbled and grateful," Rabbi Karff says of the honor. "This place has come to mean a lot to me in a short time – it is a meaningful vocation after my retirement from my congregation.

"I want future physicians to understand that it is not sufficient to address just the disease. And with the sacred vocation project, if we want the health care provider in the hospital setting to nurture the spirit of the patient, then we must nurture the providers," Rabbi Karff explains.

Funds are still being accepted to grow the endowed chair in Karff's name. For information, contact Keri Valdes, 713.500.5065, or keri.valdes@uth.tmc.edu.