To all Members and Friends of the Society of University Surgeons:

I would like to thank those of you who have donated in advance of Giving Tuesday, your contributions have been greatly appreciated!

It is my sincere hope that all of you are safe and healthy during this most trying year. The COVID pandemic has put significant strains on our health care system and I know many of our members were on the front lines in dealing with the crises at your hospitals. This has also been a turbulent year throughout our society with the racial justice movement and the SUS has come forward along with a number of other major medical societies in reaffirming their commitment to condemn racism and discrimination in all forms.

As a result of the financial impact of the COVID pandemic on our medical centers, I know that many of our members have had to cope with pay reductions as each employer looks for ways to survive economically. The SUS Foundation has felt the impact as have many other charitable organizations, and I am appealing to those who can to see if they can make a contribution to the Foundation. I know times are not easy and the future is uncertain, but we are adapting the Foundation to address the needs of our current and future academic leaders.

The SUS Foundation continues to support grants for young investigators as we have always. We know these early support grants are an important way for young academic surgeons to gain the initial foothold they need to succeed. Additionally, the Foundation is looking for new ways in which to support our growing need for diversity, equity and inclusion. Among the first steps we have taken is to contribute to the Promising Leaders Program developed by the SUS leadership to support future academic leaders from underrepresented minorities. The Foundation will look for additional ways in which to provide meaningful assistance for these initiatives.

This has been one of the most difficult years in my memory, if not the most difficult. I know we are asking a lot of a membership that has been at the forefront of dealing with the events of 2020, but the SUS continues to be a vital force in connecting academic surgeons together and is worthy of your support. We are innovating to become an academic surgical society focused on the needs of the next century and look forward to getting your support in doing so.

Sincerely,

George Yang, MD, PhD
President
SUS Foundation