With Gratitude : A Reflection on the Lifetime Achievements of Dr . Nemr Eid
by KIMBERLY BOLAND MD , FAAP
In the last 40 years , cystic fibrosis ( CF ) has become one of the most remarkable stories in modern medicine . CF has transformed from a disease that was almost always fatal in early childhood to a condition where life expectancy may be near normal for most newborns diagnosed today due to advanced therapeutics . It was not until 1989 that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene was described , and it was not until the 1990s that the first wave of CF specific medications would start to revolutionize the treatment of the disease . These medical advances , however , would not have had such a dramatic impact without the clinical leadership of individuals like Dr . Nemr Eid , the founder of the University of Louisville Division of Pediatric Pulmonology .
Dr . Nemr Eid joined the faculty at UofL in 1988 . After his fellowship , he was hired as the sole pediatric pulmonologist and was tasked with establishing the division and founding an accredited CF center . At that time , many patients with CF received their care elsewhere as there was no pediatric pulmonologist on staff .
Working with the Children ’ s Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics , Dr . Eid quickly established a weekly multidisciplinary CF clinic . Dr . Eid eventually assembled his team including a clinical geneticist ( Dr . Joseph Hersh ), a psychologist ( Dr . Bryan Carter ), a nurse practitioner ( Martha Eddy ), as well as a respiratory therapist , social worker and nutritionist . Dr . Garrett Adams , the Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases , also helped him staff the clinic for the first couple of years . Every Tuesday , this dedicated team began caring for children with CF across the Commonwealth . Within a few short years , the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ( CFF ) accredited this CF center on their very first on-site visit .
Under Dr . Eid ’ s leadership , the UofL CF Center has continued as an accredited center for over 30 years and has received multiple national accolades . In 2006 , the CF Foundation ( CFF ) recognized the UofL Pediatric CF center as one of five benchmark centers in the U . S . after outcomes data proved that CF patients ages 6-17 who received care at UofL matched or surpassed the top 10 pediatric CF centers in the country . The Division of Pediatric Pulmonology was recognized by US News and World Report in 2010 as one of the top pediatric pulmonary programs in the country by achieving a rank of the 26 th best program in the nation — a remarkable feat given the small size of the division . Under Dr . Eid ’ s leadership , the CF center has continued to grow . Today , with the support of the Children ’ s Hospital Foundation , the CFF , and local grass root organizations such as Cure CF , the CF center has been fortunate to add additional personnel to ensure full time support for the growing num-
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