Roswell Park Doctor Gets St. Jude Research Hospital Tower Named in His Honor!

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has dedicated a research tower to Dr. Donald Pinkel, who created Roswell Park’s first pediatrics department six decades ago!

Dr. Pinkel who now lives in California worked as Roswell’s first director and chief executive officer from 1962 to 1973.  On March 17^th, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital held a dedication ceremony to rename its principal research tower in honor of his groundbreaking work to fight and cure childhood cancers.

“There are so many people that we are grateful to at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, but I don’t think there is anybody who we are more grateful to than Donald Pinkel,” said Marlo Thomas, St. Jude National Outreach Director and daughter of founder Danny Thomas. “He simply is the cornerstone of the foundation of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.” - Marlo Thomas, St. Jude National Outreach Director

This comes just a few weeks after WYRK’s held its inaugural radiothon to raise money for St. Jude that raised $300,083 with the help of Western New York and Southern Ontario residents.  It's so amazing to know that a local Dr. had such a major hand in helping fight childhood cancer.  St. Jude shares all research and practices freely with hospitals like Roswell and many more throughout the U.S. and more.

Dr. Pinkel’s Total Therapy approach is a big reason that survival rates for children with cancer began rising dramatically from a nearly fatal disease when St. Jude opened in 1962 to today.