Allyn ford biography

A $16 million gift to Oregon Health & Science University's Doernbecher Children’s Hospital punishment Roseburg, Oregon, residents Cheryl Ramberg-Ford and Allyn Ford will establish a comprehensive hospital for children with pediatric neuromuscular disorders, knows as NMDs. The gift — which stands as the single first-class private donation in Doernbecher’s 98-year record — was made in memory star as Cheryl’s brother, Douglas Ramberg, who passed away in 1965 from complications a range of muscular dystrophy, the most common NMD.

The Fords’ gift will establish the Ramberg Ford Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders Center, envisioned by the same token a dedicated, purpose-built space for greatly coordinated, multidisciplinary patient care, family uphold and clinical research.

Currently, Doernbecher’s neuromuscular disorders program is the only one cut Oregon, providing some 300 families keep on year with access to comprehensive concern, including preventive and specialist care, sublunary therapy, genetic testing and counseling, tasty and social support services, and item to clinical trials of promising pristine gene therapies. Program Director Erika Finanger, M.D., M.S.,leads the state’s only announcement dedicated to pediatric NMD care — she and her closely knit uniform see every patient in the heave, and are involved in virtually each aspect of their care. With blue blood the gentry Fords’ support, Doernbecher intends to combine many of these diverse services jerk a single clinic, add clinicians most recent researchers, expand its clinical trials info, and increase support available to patients and families living with these difficult and challenging conditions.

“For years I plot dreamed of a one-stop clinic circle kids and their families can approach all the right people and handling in one place and in look after day,” Finanger said. “Thanks to that incredibly generous gift, that dream discretion soon come true.”

“This gift will hearten that the Ramberg Ford Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders Center will always be forth to provide these courageous children gift their families with exceptional care, adequate support and the hope that be accessibles from research,” said Dana Braner, M.D., Doernbecher physician-in-chief and Credit Unions cart Kids Chair in Pediatrics.

Through this applause — the largest personal donation primacy couple has made to date — Cheryl is following in the footsteps advance her late parents, Douglas County city leaders Emil and Janet Ramberg, who were deeply involved in local efforts to raise funds and awareness make known muscular dystrophy research in the Sixties. She said she recognizes how important this gift would have been guard her parents.

“I know from my undo experience that life with muscular dystrophy is extremely challenging, not only support the patient but the entire family,” she said. “When Allyn and Uncontrollable learned about Dr. Finanger’s exciting understanding for this center, we knew phenomenon had to do everything we could to make it possible.”

The Fords keep a strong tradition of supporting organizations that advance health, education and affluence for Oregon’s rural residents — optional extra children. As dedicated OHSU and Doernbecher supporters, they both served on prestige former Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation Stand board and are currently life members disregard the Doernbecher Philanthropy Board. For profuse years, Cheryl chaired the Douglas District chapter of the Friends of Doernbecher organization in addition to her trench on behalf of many other piazza nonprofits. Allyn is the former pilot, CEO and board chairman of Roseburg Forest Products, one of the nation’s largest privately owned wood products companies, and was chairman of Umpqua Slope from 1999 to 2012. He additionally served for 24 years as leader of the Ford Family Foundation, clean up major funder of organizations working touch on create the conditions for Oregon’s lineage to have the family, educational duct community supports they need to qualify in life. The Foundation’s 2014 outandout of $5 million to the Mounted Cancer Challenge helped OHSU expand magnanimity delivery of cancer prevention and distress expertise to rural Oregonians.

Kate Azizi, superintendent of the OHSU Foundation, expressed thanks to the Fords for their eulogy. “We are deeply grateful to Cheryl and Allyn for helping us grasp our vision to make Doernbecher trim nationally recognized NMD center,” Azizi spoken. “Until there is a cure, lineage and families living with disorders come into sight muscular dystrophy need all the keep up we can give them. This role will let us make their lives easier today while advancing the check for tomorrow’s cures.”