One of the hallmarks of an extraordinary care team member is their ability to make an impact not only in the lives of their patients, but also in the lives of their fellow care team colleagues.
For the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital, the legacy of Norman M. Simon, MD, their former division chief who passed away in 2017, will be remembered for years to come.
Thanks to a generous donor gift, the division was renamed the Norman M. Simon, MD, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension in May 2024. An endowed fund, the Norman M. Simon, MD, Endowed Fund in Nephrology, was also established in his memory to provide programmatic support to the division in perpetuity.
“Dr. Simon was incredibly concerned about his patients and was always available to them,” recalled Stuart Sprague, DO, Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension from 2003 to 2022. “He approached each patient as an individual and cared for them as an extension of his family. He didn’t treat diseases but considered each patient a complete individual who required individual care.”
During his nearly four decades at Evanston Hospital, Dr. Simon cared for patients with kidney disease and hypertension and served the medical community with distinction. He came to work at Evanston Hospital in 1976 after working for many years at Northwestern Medicine, where he graduated from medical school and trained in nephrology.
An advocate for medical education, he taught hundreds of up-and-coming physicians and mentored many nephrologists, some of whom have become international leaders in the field.
“Dr. Simon was one of the first academic physicians hired at Evanston Hospital,” said Dr. Sprague, “and he’s a major reason why the hospital transformed into the teaching hospital it is today.”
A dedicated scholar, Dr. Simon also had an extensive clinical research career in kidney disease and was a leader in defining the role of the kidney in causing certain types of hypertension. He received the Lifetime Service Award from the National Kidney Foundation for his dedication to the field.
After his passing, the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension named their annual Grand Rounds lecture series in Dr. Simon’s memory. Each year, the Norman M. Simon, MD, Grand Rounds Lecture brings world-renowned speakers to Evanston Hospital to share the latest in research and patient care.
“These speakers all demonstrated their own commitment, passion, and intellectual curiosity in their chosen area, characteristics that Dr. Simon very much valued and endeavored to grow in those around him,” said Tammy Ho, MD, the current Division Chief of Nephrology and Hypertension.
The Norman M. Simon, MD, Endowed Fund in Nephrology will provide crucial flexible resources to the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and support the broad array of activities in patient care, research and academics, now and into the future.
For Dr. Ho, the fund will help her—as Division Chief—to establish programs and provide opportunities that will inspire a new generation of physicians to pursue nephrology and newly inspire existing physicians within the division to develop projects and expertise to fuel their commitment and passion.
“The endowed fund will provide the ability to more robustly support programs that benefit patients and develop engaged practitioners. Dr. Simon was committed to the mentorship of those with curiosity in medicine and patient care, whether they be physicians, nurse practitioners, floor nurses, or those early in their educational journey,” said Dr. Ho.
“His passion for nephrology was contagious and even those colleagues and students who chose different fields looked to him as an example of what a clinician researcher and educator should be,” she continued.
Throughout his career, Dr. Simon was single-minded in his dedication to providing patient- centered humanistic care. He touched the lives of countless patients, families and friends and promoted this approach to care among medical students, residents, fellows and faculty.
“It is fitting that the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension is being named in Dr. Simon’s memory,” added Dr. Sprague. “That way, it will be as if he’s always here with us in spirit, inspiring us to continue his work to care for each and every patient as if they were our own family members.”
These efforts would not be possible without philanthropic support. We are powered by the generosity of donors who directly impact our ability to deliver on our commitment to community-connected care.
To learn more about the Norman M. Simon, MD Endowed Fund in Nephrology, please contact Danielle Maihofer, Director of Philanthropy: dmaihofer@northshore.org or 224.364.7614