Dr. Marnix and Mary HeersinkDr. and Mrs. Marnix E. Heersink have been announced as the William M. and Virginia B. Spencer Outstanding Philanthropists at this November’s National Philanthropy Day ceremony. This is the highest honor that the Alabama chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals can award, a fitting recognition not only of the Heersinks’ historic partnership with UAB, but also their support of local nonprofits in their hometown of Dothan and of statewide organizations seeking to improve life for all Alabamians.
“On behalf of the entire Heersink School of Medicine community, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. and Mrs. Heersink for the well-deserved recognition of their extraordinary philanthropic spirit,” said Anupam Agarwal, M.D., senior vice president for Medicine and dean of the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. “Their transformative $95 million gift to name our school and establish the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation and the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, as well as their support of our medical education facilities, clinical care efforts, and research programs, have paved the way for an unprecedented era of growth and opportunity at our school and university.”
Since the Heersinks made their gift in September 2021, UAB’s patient care, medical research, faculty recruitment, and educational efforts have been radically enhanced, positioning the Heersink School of Medicine in the global top tier of medical schools. Their gift—the largest in UAB history—will support the creation of as many as 20 new endowed positions to support the recruitment of elite faculty to Birmingham. In the first year of the gift alone, the Heersink School of Medicine established and awarded five Heersink Endowed Chairs and one Heersink Endowed Professorship.
In addition to providing for endowed faculty positions and the creation of current-use funds for priority initiatives, the Heersink family’s historic gift has also led to the creation of new institutes within the Heersink School of Medicine. The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation is dedicated to applying entrepreneurial thinking and new technologies, such as AI, to overcome barriers to quality health care and foster socioeconomic transformation.
“The institute is bringing together complementary skill sets to enhance the transformative power of teaching and learning in biomedical innovation and accelerate high-value, innovative solutions through the continuum of discovery, translation, and application, in partnership with the clinical practice at UAB and other local and international partners,” said Rubin Pillay, M.D., Ph.D., assistant dean for Global Health Innovation in the Heersink School of Medicine and chief innovation officer for UAB Health System.
The Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health, meanwhile, is building on UAB’s foundation of global health expertise to develop strategic partnerships with institutions such as McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and catalyzing interdisciplinary research through pilot grants. Global health has been near to the Heersinks’ hearts ever since nearly losing their son, Damion, to a virulent strain of E. coli in the 1990s. Mrs. Heersink remains a steadfast advocate for reducing foodborne illness in the United States and worldwide, co-founding and sitting on the board of directors for STOP Foodborne Illness.
Among many other commitments, Dr. Heersink has served on the executive boards of the Alabama/Florida Council of Boy Scouts and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, while Mrs. Heersink remains active with the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Board of Visitors and the Advisory Board of the Master of Science in Global Health Program, a joint initiative among McMaster University in Canada, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, Manipal University in India and Thomassat University in Thailand. Dr. Heersink is also the founder of the Eye Education Foundation, which provides yearly seminars encouraging optometrists and ophthalmologists to share their knowledge, experience, and insight.
“The Heersink family’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of people here in Alabama and around the world is an inspiration to us all, and we are honored to celebrate this exceptional milestone with them,” said Agarwal.
This year’s National Philanthropy Day luncheon will take place Friday, November 3, at the Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham. -- Walt Lewellyn