Physician’s Love of Philosophy Grows Into a Passion for Helping Patients
As a medical oncologist, Evanthia Galanis, M.D., has a simple philosophy — patients need answers quicker. Dr. Galanis brings this perspective from her research and clinical experience to her new role as Mayo Clinic’s executive dean for development, where she’s seen the impact philanthropy can have when joined with Mayo Clinic’s patient-centered values.
Evanthia Galanis, M.D., grew up in a house brimming with
books, which her father would bring home by the dozen. It was through the works
of classical writers that Dr. Galanis found her initial calling as a scholar of
ancient literature and philosophy.
As college approached, however, her
thoughts turned increasingly to how she could make a difference in the lives of
others. She was inspired in large part by her parents, who modeled the
importance of volunteering and helping those in need.
“I
realized that if I were to follow my initial path, my work would likely only be
of academic interest, rather than truly having an impact on the lives of
others,” Dr. Galanis says. “Medicine, however, would give me that
opportunity.”
No time to waste
Today, Dr. Galanis is a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist who directs a research laboratory that has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for the past 18 years. She is a principal investigator in national clinical trials. She chaired the Department of Molecular Medicine for the past decade and currently leads the Gene and Virus Therapy Program of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.
This year, she took on a new leadership position at Mayo Clinic as the executive dean for development. It’s a role in which she focuses on advancing Mayo’s mission by fostering philanthropic support for the organization’s most important efforts in practice, research and education. “I see an opportunity to make a difference on a larger scale,” she says.
In
addition to her leadership roles at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Galanis leads a number of
national and international collaborations for cancer research. She is chair of
the Neuro-Oncology Committee of the cooperative group Alliance for Clinical
Trials in Oncology and is co-chair of the Glioblastoma Working Group and U.S.
lead for the international rare brain tumor initiative.
“The way I see it is that we need better answers yesterday.”
Evanthia Galanis, M.D.
“I
did not structure my career with any particular opportunity or position in
mind,” she says. “Each step of the way was more about how I could
make the greatest impact in the lives of our patients by combining the best
science with the best delivery of medicine, and bridging the two.”
Dr. Galanis talks with a sense of urgency for advancing new treatments fast. This urgency is inspired by her work with patients who have cancer and by the cancer journeys of family members.
“Both
my daily professional encounters with the pressing needs of our patients with
cancer and my personal experience through my family’s cancer journeys reinforce
that our patients do not have years to wait,” she says. “The way I
see it is that we need better answers yesterday.”
Philanthropy propels Mayo’s vision
Dr.
Galanis joined the staff of Mayo Clinic in 1998. Since the beginning, she says,
she has seen firsthand how philanthropy plays an integral role in helping Mayo
thrive. Early in her career at Mayo Clinic, philanthropy made it possible for
Dr. Galanis to start her first laboratory. Benefactor support helped her pursue
new ideas in cancer therapeutics and rapidly translate them to clinical use
with patients — with findings that subsequently led to publications, extramural
funding and academic recognition.
“My
career trajectory would likely have been entirely different if it were not for
the trust that benefactors bestowed on my work when I was a young investigator,”
she says.
At
the core of Mayo Clinic, Dr. Galanis says, is the transformative philanthropy of Drs.
Will and Charlie Mayo and their wives, Hattie and Edith Mayo, who in 1919 donated the assets of
Mayo Clinic and most of their life savings to establish Mayo as a
not-for-profit organization. This gift would be worth more than $100 million
today.
“The biggest opportunity is to expand our reach to the rest of the world, and essentially disrupt and transform health care while strengthening our core values and expertise, which make care at Mayo Clinic unique.”
Evanthia Galanis, M.D.
As
Mayo Clinic pursues a bold and innovative strategy to transform health care
over the next decade and beyond, Dr. Galanis says philanthropy is more
important than ever to achieve advances for patients.
“The
biggest opportunity is to expand our reach to the rest of the world, and
essentially disrupt and transform health care while strengthening our core
values and expertise, which make care at Mayo Clinic unique,” she says. “Philanthropy
can allow us to propel this vision much faster than we otherwise would be able
to.”
In
the meantime, Dr. Galanis, the Sandra J. Schulze Professor of Novel Therapeutics,
continues to see the effect of philanthropy in finding answers for patients.
Work made possible by the professorship focuses on pursuing advances in
virotherapy, which is an innovative way to treat cancer by modifying viruses to
stimulate patients’ immune systems.
“Endowed
professorships are a huge honor because they represent our highest academic
distinction at Mayo Clinic,” Dr. Galanis says. “This benefactor
funding has a continuous effect since it makes it possible for Mayo Clinic to
reward exceptional academic contributions and foster paradigm-shifting science
from one generation to the next.”
As
she steps into her role as executive dean for development, Dr. Galanis is
looking forward to helping take the already successful fundraising activities
at Mayo Clinic to a new level.
“Mayo
Clinic was created as the result of philanthropy and is thriving because of
philanthropy,” she says. “Our benefactors make creating the future of
Mayo Clinic possible.”
Note: A version of this story
previously was published in Mayo Clinic Magazine.
HELPFUL LINKS
- Read more about research at Mayo Clinic.
- Check out Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.
- Learn about giving to Mayo Clinic.
- Explore Mayo Clinic.
- Request an appointment.