EVMS announced the establishment of a new institute in 2020 focusing on the complex healthcare needs of those diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders, cognitive and memory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, and patients in need of palliative care.
The EVMS Lawrence J. Goldrich Institute for Integrated NeuroHealth is the first of its kind in Hampton Roads and was made possible through a generous $15 million gift from long-time Virginia Beach resident Lawrence J. Goldrich and his wife, Janice T. Goldrich.
The institute provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. It also provides support systems for patients and their families, improves access to new drug therapies and clinical trials, and accelerates research that may lead to better treatment and possible cures.
The new institute is named for Mr. Goldrich, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 98. He himself had Parkinson’s — a disease that affects more than 10 million people around the world. Mr. Goldrich was a highly respected and well-known real estate developer. Prior to his death, he and his wife explained that their family had benefited from the region’s excellent healthcare, thanks in large part to EVMS physicians and alumni.
“We have observed the rapid growth of EVMS in size and services. We are aware that not only does EVMS have outreach extending across the entire Commonwealth, but the school is also achieving national recognition for the scope and quality of its work.”
Yet, EVMS did not yet offer a clinical program that focused on patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Mr. and Mrs. Goldrich felt strongly that the need for such a program existed and that it could truly make a difference in many patients’ lives in the years to come.
