The evening’s special guests included Rhea Law, widow of the late Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, and son Ed Chiles.
Dr. Charles Mahan with his grandchildren.
Dr. Charles Mahan, Dean Emeritus of the USF College of Public Health and the Chiles Center, announced his family’s gift of $1.8 million to the college of public health – the largest gift in the history of the college. Dr. Donna Petersen, the college’s dean and a national maternal & child health expert said “Dr. Mahan has shared with us so many gifts over his many years affiliated with the University of South Florida College of Public Health. It is amazing to us that he would continue to give in order to ensure that mothers and babies and families can be healthy and strong and that USF can continue to contribute to the betterment of lives in communities throughout the world.”
“He used to drive around Florida in a bus giving prenatal care. That experience burned into his psyche the need to provide prenatal not just from HIS bus, but for everyone in the state”, said Dr. Stephen Klasko, Vice President of USF Health and Dean of the USF College of Medicine.
From L to R: Rhea Chiles, widow of the late Florida Governor, and Dr. Charles Mahan, who was Director of the Florida Dept. of Health during the governor’s administration.
Dr. Charles Mahan, a veteran obstetrician and public health advocate, was surrounded by children and grandchildren during the announcement of their family’s gift of $1.8 million to the USF College of Public Health. “Most of the programs we’ve gotten in to have been very successful”. said Dr. Mahan during an interview. “I think the issue is that new problems have come up over the last ten years. The state has grown a tremendous amount. Our number of births have gone from 180,000 a year to approximately 225,000 a year. Some of the things we had a grip on have gotten away from us. I think now we have to start over and look for new solutions to all these things that are happening.”
It was an evening filled with plenty of emotion. Dr. Donna Petersen, Dean of the USF College of Public Health, shared her late husband’s passion for public health and cooking. The aprons – her gift to guests – were filled with some of his favorite recipes. Dr. Greg Alexander, an internationally renown expert in maternal and child health, was remembered in a special tribute during the two day conference.
In 1991, Dr. Mahan and Dee Jeffers,RN, MPH, began discussions with then Gov. Lawton Chiles to establish a research & program center to improve perinatal outcomes & children’s health in FL – what eventually became the Chiles Center. Jeffers, a nurse & childbirth educator, is a founder of Florida Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition and former president of the Florida Perinatal Association.
From L to R: USF Health physician & State Senator Ed Homan; USF Health V.P. & Dean, USF College of Medicine Stephen Klasko; celebrate with Dr. John Curran, Assoc. Vice Pres. for Faculty & Academic Affairs, USF Health. Curran, a veteran pediatrician & member of the USF College of Medicine, built the first neonatal intensive care unit at Tampa General Hospital almost 35 years ago and also helped to create the Hillsborough County Health Plan, a nationally recognized innovative plan for the working poor. During the Sept. 17 reception, State Senator Homan announced the Florida Legislature’s decision to rename the state run children’s clinic, Children’s Medical Services, in Curran’s honor.
* DID YOU KNOW…. Fun Facts about the Chiles Center
* Dr. Greg Alexander Recipes