Grateful Country Dr. Sarto is indeed a pioneer. Senator Olympia Snowe and I co-chaired the Congressional Caucus on Women s Issues and had quite a battle getting women s health taken seriously by the NIH and our colleagues. Those in the field of medicine, like Dr. Sarto, were brave to step up and say they were willing to run the office of Women s Health at NIH. Their male colleagues were totally against it and thought we were politicizing medical science. It s important to remind people how brave she was and important in the advancement of research by the NIH, which would benefit women s health in the future. Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, Member of the US House of Representative from Colorado 1973 1997 Endowed chairs have become an essential tool in advancing the mission of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. They not only help us recruit and retain the top scholars in any field of study, they provide critical annual funding for research. By investing in the Gloria E. Sarto Chair you are investing in the future of women s health equity, and all the promise that equity in health care provides to women, their families, their communities and the future. By investing in this chair you are investing in the great institution that nurtured and supported Dr. Sarto and gave her the intellectual foundation to trust in the belief that one compassionate and dedicated person can make a significant difference in the world. Sincerely, Laurel W. Rice, MD Professor and Chair Ben Miller Peckham Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin-Madison December 2013 Gloria Sarto, present day THE GLORIA E. SARTO, MD, PHD Chair in Women s Health and Health Equity Research Women s Health Equity A Threefold Mission: Equality in Higher Education, Gender-based Research, and Access to Health Care for Everyone The United States, in fact the world, has a recent and intense focus on women s health and the effect it has on the health of our communities, our economy and quite frankly the future. But for more than half a century Professor Gloria Sarto, MD, PhD has focused her remarkable intellect and sense of compassion on lifting the status of women worldwide. Her humble roots growing up in southeastern Wisconsin instilled in her a powerful work ethic, a thirst for learning and the desire to improve the world. Dr. Sarto did not set out to fundamentally change the way medical education includes women, or how research is conducted so equal attention is given to women s biology, or maybe most importantly improving access to those who have the least but she did. This extraordinary woman has not stopped working on behalf of improving the lives of women, their families, and in turn, their communities, since she entered St. Luke s Hospital Nursing School in Racine, Wisconsin in 1947. [ PLEASE CONTINUE INSIDE ] OB-37386-13 It Starts With You YOUR GIFT HELPS PATIENTS AND FAMILIES AND SUPPORTS RESEARCH
She was a Lamaze trailblazer and lost her hospital privileges for 24 hours for allowing a non-medical person into the delivery room a friend of the women giving birth, whose husband was a truck driver and needed to be on the road. When she was a resident, there were no showers for women, but Dr. Peckham made sure she had one. Dr. Sarto and her colleagues Drs. Vivian Pinn, Bernadine Healy and Florence Hasletine among others worked hard to ensure that health research had an equal focus on women s health and biology. Gloria Sarto, 9th grade St. Luke s Nursing School, 1948-50 UW-Madison Medical School Class 1958 Dr. Sarto s desire to improve the lives of women and their children is innate. She came of age before the women s movement, but she intuitively knew only through gender equality would the world advance, and she was right. Her entire career has focused on serving the underserved, mentoring women who have less opportunity to realize their academic dreams, and that decisions made within health research are grounded in evidence-based science of the female body. Endowing the Sarto Legacy They worked with the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Women, Health Express Bus, Prentice Women s Hospital, 1976-81 which included Senator Olympia Snowe, Congresswomen Barbara Mikulski, Pat Schroeder and Connie Morella, and others. Together, these trailblazing women were responsible for the establishment of The Office of Research on Women s Health (ORWH) at the National Institute of Health (NIH). This office was established in September 1990 think about that, 1990 was not that long ago. Grateful Student I performed my first pelvic examination as a third year medical student in 1961. This stressful procedure (for everyone) became more so when I couldn t feel the ovaries. Dr. Sarto very patiently explained and demonstrated the technique again. I repeated the exam successfully. Dr. Sarto was very kind and considerate both to the patient and to me. The episode left a strong impression on me: This is a fine physician. At the foundation of all health care, including women s health, is academic medicine and the great institutions that train health care providers. Dr. Sarto had the privilege of attending the University of Wisconsin as a medical student Phillip Lerner, MD, General Surgeon, UW Med School, Class of 1963 in 1950 and as an obstetrics and gynecology resident in 1959. People, like her mentor and department chair during her residency, Dr. Ben Peckham, saw something special in her. Additionally, in classic Sarto style, as she worked In 2010 the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public with patients who presented with Turners Syndrome, she Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology established determined in order to provide the best care to these the Center for Women s Health and Health Disparities patients she needed to learn more about this disorder, and Research, of which Dr. Sarto is the director. The mission of went on to earn her PhD in Medical Genetics at the UW in 1971. this center is to continue to be a leader in advancing research in women s health, health equity, and to prepare scholars for Residency 1959-1963 independent academic research career. The accomplishments of this remarkable woman, whose life began on October 20, 1929 in Racine, Wisconsin, are too many to name in this short document. But this quiet champion conducted the first amniocentesis in Wisconsin, where she To honor and ensure the work and legacy of this extraordinary drew the amniotic fluid, grew the cultures, made the diagnosis and worked with the patient to provide her the best options. woman continues in perpetuity, we have created a $1.5 million endowment fund to establish the Gloria E. Sarto, MD, Grateful Patient I was very fortunate to be a participant in Dr. Sarto s pioneering research on the fertility drug Clomid more than 45 years ago. She inspired my utmost confidence and trust by her expertise, her personal presence, and her communication style that treated me with consideration and respect. Consequently were able to realize the fulfillment of two beloved children and six grandchildren that my husband and I would not have experienced without Dr. Sarto s expert intervention. Throughout these years, I remember Dr. Sarto with fondness and deep appreciation. Carol T. former patient OB-37386 ISWY Sarto Case Statement.indd 2 PhD, Chair in Women s Health and Health Equity Research. This chair will allow us to recruit and retain the top physician or researcher whose work is focused on advancing women s Assistant Professor Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UW-Madison, 1966-70 health through health equity research. We are a leader in this area because Dr. Sarto has called the UW her academic home for most of her life. 11/1/13 3:16 PM
Funding the Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Chair in Women s Health and Health Equity Research will take a generous village or one generous person. Contribution Needed Number Needed Subtotal Cumulative Subtotal Champions of Women, Families & Communities Giving Levels Fully funding the Gloria E. Sarto Chair 1 $1,500,000 $1,500,000 Global $500,000 1 $500,000 $500,000 Community $250,000 2 $500,000 $1,000,000 Families $100,000 2 $200,000 $1,200,000 Women $50,000 2 $100,000 $1,300,000 Education $25,000 2 $50,000 $1,350,000 Equity $10,000 5 $50,000 $1,400,000 Advancement $5,000 10 $50,000 $1,450,000 Access $2,500 20 $50,000 $1,500,000 Fairness Every level of support is extremely important. We appreciate that everyone has different capacities to give, and we remain deeply grateful for each contribution no matter the size. These investments will build a legacy to greatly advance equity in women s health, as well as honor Dr. Sarto s remarkable contribution in perpetuity. For more information contact: Deborah Hobbins, Director of Development, UW-Foundation Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1848 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726 (608) 263-5494 obgyn.wisc.edu Yes, I/We would like to invest in the Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Chair in Women s Health and Health Care Equity to help advance the outstanding work of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Please accept my/our pledge of: $ Any contribution(s) of $50,000 up to $575,000 made either by individuals or collectively will be matched dollar-for-dollar by one of the UW s most generous donors. Help us honor this remarkable Giving Options generosity by pledging your most generous investment in the future of women s health. Check payable to UW-Foundation Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Fund #12587126 Credit card: VISA MasterCard American Express Discover Please charge my contribution one time or $ for months. CARD NUMBER EXP. DATE (month/year) OB-41167-14 FULL NAME ON CREDIT CARD (Please remember to fill out your address on the other side of this card) SIGNATURE (required to validate payment) [ OVER ] It Starts With You
The Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Wall in Honor of Women s Health The Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Wall in Honor of Women s Health will be located at the entrance to the Women s Health Crossing in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, near the entrance to the Ebling Library. Listing your name(s) on this wall acknowledges your personal commitment to advancing women s health. Your contribution to this chair helps ensure the department of Obstetrics and Gynecolgy can continue to recruit and retain the best and brightest faculty and researchers; chairs are one of the most important tools we have to support our outstanding faculty. I thank you ahead of time. Laurel W. Rice, MD, Chair The Ben Miller Peckham, MD, PhD Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology Rather give online? Visit obgyn.wisc.edu and click on Donate. Electronic Funds Transfer (please include a voided check). Please transfer $ Monthly To donate gifts of stock please contact Deborah Hobbins at (608) 263-5494 or deborah.hobbins@supportuw.org. I/we prefer to give anonymously. Please include my/our names on the Gloria E. Sarto, MD, PhD Wall in Honor of Women s Health.* FIRST NAME(S) AND LAST NAME(S) AS YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO APPEAR ON THE WALL* (A pledge of $2,500 to add name to wall, may be pledged over five years.) STREET ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP EMAIL ADDRESS PHONE To give online, go to obgyn.wisc.edu * Minimum $2,500 donation required for name to be listed on wall. You may pledge over five years. For more information, please contact Deborah at (608) 263-5494 or deborah.hobbins@supportuw.org. To be removed from our mailing list, email uwhealthoptout@uwhealth.org
Laurel W. Rice, MD 1010 Mound Street 4th Floor Madison, WI 53715