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Dr. Gary Gitnick, known arsenic “Doc Hollywood” for his aesculapian and philanthropy enactment and treating large celebrities, has died. He was 82.
Gitnick died Nov. 4 astatine UCLA Medical Center aft a agelong illness, girl Tracy Gitnick Herriott said successful an email.
Dr. Gitnick and his wife, Cherna, started the Fulfillment Fund successful 1977 aft spotting a troubling inclination of students from underrepresented communities not transferring to a assemblage oregon adjacent graduating from precocious school, according to Gitnick Herriott.
Launched arsenic a vacation enactment for children with disabilities, the lawsuit was transformed into a mentoring enactment that promoted higher acquisition with yearly concerts — which hosted A-list celebrities, including actors Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro.
“He straight helped thousands upon thousands of children find a pathway to assemblage and beyond,” his girl wrote, “when it different would not person been possible, and successful doing so, inspired those astir him to bash the same.”
In 1989, The Fulfillment Fund began offering a assemblage assistance programme and, later, a mentor program, followed by a assemblage counseling program, schoolroom instruction, fiscal assistance support, assemblage trips and experiential learning opportunities.
“A assemblage acquisition is important,” De Niro during a 2018 lawsuit hosted by the Fulfillment Fund, “but acquisition without humanity is ignorance.”
The enactment has offered mentoring programs and assemblage scholarships to much than 2,000 students each twelvemonth from educationally and economically underserved communities, with the extremity of helping children assistance themselves retired of poorness done education.
Gary Gitnick was calved successful Omaha, Nebraska, successful 1939 to Nathan and Ann Gitnick. He earned his bachelor’s grade astatine the University of Chicago and his MD astatine the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
He completed his internship astatine Johns Hopkins University Hospital and gastroenterology subspecialty grooming astatine the Mayo Clinic. Gitnick besides spent 3 years arsenic a probe subordinate astatine the National Institutes of Health.
Gitnick joined the UCLA module successful 1969 and aboriginal became main of unit of the UCLA Medical Center, aesculapian manager of the UCLA Health Care Programs and, starting successful 1993, main of the part of digestive diseases.
During this palmy career, Gitnick besides produced much than 300 publications and authored oregon edited 64 books connected gastroenterology and hepatology. He retired from UCLA arsenic the emeritus main of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases astatine the David Geffen School of Medicine.
“Gary Gitnick’s enactment implicit much than 2 decades helped the Division of Digestive Diseases go the champion successful the world,” Dr. Alan Fogelman, seat of UCLA’s Department of Medicine astatine the David Geffen School of Medicine, said successful a UCLA Health nonfiction connected Gitnick’s death. “His enactment volition proceed to payment the lives of galore for decades to come.”
Gitnick’s moniker, “Doc Hollywood,” stemmed from his treating aggregate large celebrities and workplace chiefs, Gitnick Herriott said.
He besides served arsenic president of the Medical Board of California and arsenic a subordinate of its enforcement committee. He chaired the Board of Trustees of the Health Professions Education Foundation, developed by the California Health Corps, which enables doctors, nurses and allied wellness workers to supply attraction to underserved populations successful speech for acquisition indebtedness repayment.
Gitnick is survived by his woman of 57 years, Cherna; children Neil Gitnick, Kim Gitnick, Jill Steinberg and Tracy Gitnick Herriott; and grandchildren Thomas, River, Sydney, Charles, Dani, Chloe and Charlie.
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