SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Indian American orthopedic surgeon and philanthropist Dr. Krishne Urs donated $500,000 to the Richmond University Medical Center for the center’s new emergency wing project.
It will go toward the university’s $65 million project, and was made during a ceremony at the hospital. Daniel Messina, president and CEO of the hospital, accepted the donation from Urs.
Urs received his medical degree with distinction from the University of Mysore in India, and arrived in the U.S. in 1962 to begin his studies as an orthopedic surgeon. He began his practice at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, which is now the Richmond University Medical Center, in 1970. From 1986 through 2001, he served as the chief of orthopedic surgery at the St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
He discussed the significance of the project, and how important it is to give back to the community, during an interview with Silive.com.
“As many of you know, our community continues to grow and demands have been put on our hospital, especially our emergency room,” he said. “We have been treating over 65,000 patients a year in a space originally designed for 22,000 patients. I have spent my entire career in this hospital and it has been part of the fabric of my life and livelihood and I’m so grateful to give back to this organization and the people that it serves.”
Richmond University board chairwoman Kate Rooney, and Joe Torres, who chairs the capital campaign for the ER project, discussed Dr. Urs’ passion for philanthropy.
“Those of us who know Dr. Urs know that philanthropy and generosity are part of his soul and we at the hospital are so fortunate that he and his family have been so generous to our medical center,” said Rooney.
“I’d like to focus on what I feel is the greatest asset Dr. Urs has given us and that’s inspiration,” added Torres. “He told us, and I’m paraphrasing, when an opportunity arises to invest in infrastructure that is linked to such a vital community cause, it gives the donor an opportunity to have a lasting impact on the lives of their children and their grandchildren.”
Information from Silive.com contributed to this report.
