May 11, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Diabetes Trust Foundation (DTF), headquartered in Birmingham, has donated more than $5.5 million toward the establishment of a Comprehensive Diabetes Center at UAB to fight the rising epidemic in the disease.
The center is slated to have offices and laboratories in the new Shelby Biomedical Research Building at UAB.
The gift was announced by DTF board chair John D. Smith, who said, “The funds given to UAB will further DTF’s long-standing mission of providing a better future for diabetics by supporting cutting-edge research, quality professional and public education, and treatment and community services.”
Edward Abraham, M.D., chair of the UAB Department of Medicine, said, “This generous gift is a huge boost to our efforts to recruit an internationally renowned physician-scientist to lead our Comprehensive Diabetes Center. This is a top priority for us that will have a significant impact on the health of Alabamians.”
“The Diabetes Trust Foundation is committed to supporting research, education and patient care,” said Shirley Salloway Kahn, Ph.D., UAB vice president for development, alumni and external relations. “We are pleased to be the recipient of these funds and will use them to continue to build our programs and attract additional support.”
The DTF was formerly the Diabetes Trust Fund, founded in 1964 by the late Buris R. Boshell, M.D., and his friends and colleagues. Boshell was a world-renowned UAB physician-educator and directed the Boshell Diabetes Research and Education Center at UAB. His headquarters building still bears his name.
Smith said, “Now, with this gift to UAB and to support a comprehensive diabetes center for research, education and patient care, we are truly coming full circle to support something Dr. Boshell cared very deeply about, I believe he would have been delighted to see his dream fulfilled in this way.”UAB President Carol Z. Garrison said, “We already have significant strengths in diabetes research and treatment. Bringing together this talent under one umbrella with strong leadership will take us to the next level of excellence.”
Smith’s wife, Shannon, and son, Joshua, are type 1 diabetics, as are two daughters of Benny M. LaRussa Jr. and David L. Silverstein, who are leading the community campaign. “Having a child develop diabetes has spurred David and me to commit our time and resources to furthering the search for its cure,” LaRussa said. “We are pleased to be leading this effort and heartened by the support it has generated from our community.”
“Benny and I are especially pleased by this magnificent commitment from the Diabetes Trust Foundation and are confident it will influence others to step forward to help establish this center and bring us closer faster to conquering this disease,” Silverstein said.