Jimmy Orr, M.D. - “Immeasurable in Its Effect”: The Orrs Honor Family snd Support UAB Gynecologic Oncology Through Planned Gift

By Emma Lang

Jimmy Orr, M.D., entered his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham when the subspecialty of gynecologic oncology was not even a decade old. The idea that he could be part of something new in the medical field—and possibly master it—floored him.

Now, almost 50 years after leaving UAB, Orr is chief of surgical oncology at GenesisCare. He chuckles at the idea of mastering the ever-changing, multidisciplinary subspeciality.

“That’s okay, I had good intentions,” he said with a smile.

The growth he experienced during his time in UAB’s Division of Gynecologic Oncology propelled him toward a successful and philanthropic medical career.

In support of the important work of UAB’s Division of Gynecologic Oncology and those who specialize in it, Jimmy and his wife Vicki made an outright gift and committed a legacy gift through a bequest in their will to create an endowed support fund as an initial step toward establishing an endowed chair in women’s oncology.

“The endowed professorship is about recognizing an incredible individual who contributed not just to the division of gynecologic oncology but also to cancer broadly,” said Warner Huh, M.D., FACOG, FACS, chair of the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Not only that, these positions are critical for recruitment and retention.”

A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

When Jimmy Orr first began his UAB residency in 1976, it had been just six years since gynecologic oncology was officially made a subspecialty of gynecology and obstetrics. Even at that early juncture, UAB had an esteemed reputation in the field and was home to industry leaders who had garnered national attention. After Jimmy Orr joined the division, he learned that these well-known physicians were as kind as they were successful.

“The giants of the field at UAB attracted people to the program, but it was more than that. They really cared for patients, residents, and fellows.” Jimmy Orr said. “You don’t always see empathy from giants. Everybody was treated fairly and equally, whether you were at the highest level of the hierarchy or the lowest level.”

As Jimmy Orr progressed through residency, finished his fellowship in 1982, and worked as an associate professor for three years, UAB’s division of gynecologic oncology continued to develop and form a sense of camaraderie that still encourages him today.

“First and foremost, we were there to take care of patients, then to learn, and third, to educate the residents and students below us,” Jimmy Orr said. “There was an unwavering dedication every day to take care of patients and to teach to progress the field.”

While it has been almost 50 years since Jimmy Orr left UAB, he still strongly believes in the mission of his former department.

“It was my foundation; it launched me into my life,” Jimmy Orr said. “It gave me the foundation to do well and to do good. The training and camaraderie were vital to my success. No one person can do these kinds of things—you need a ‘we’ to do it.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Orrs’ devotion to the field is rooted in more than just his decorated career. Before they met and married, Vicki Orr separately found a passion for gynecologic oncology.

When Vicki Orr’s mother was 48 years old, she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Although she was diagnosed with advanced disease, the gynecologic oncologists were able to prolong her life. Because of gynecologic oncologists, Vicki Orr cherished 14 more years with her mother.

“What the gynecologic oncologists do is so very important to me and my siblings and family,” she said. “They really prolong women’s lives for themselves and their families. That’s one reason that I want to give back.”

And the support fund represents more for Vicki Orr than her mother—it’s for all women who need care in this area.

“We have been out to dinner and have had women come up to us and tell us she had no hope of living ten to 20 years before, but now she’s having dinner with her family, healthy, because of people who specialized in this field,” she said. “This is why this is important to continue to learn more and develop more so that we can be part of progressing cancer research.”

THE LEGACY LIVES ON

Huh said that the Orrs’ generous gift and bequest are also a reflection of the camaraderie Jimmy Orr and his cohort helped create at UAB.

“They have a legacy that’s inspired the next generation and subsequent generation,” Huh said. “It is the coolest thing to be a part of this family for me because this is a group that prioritizes commitment to patient care, research, and education as priorities. We’ve been able to maintain that environment for nearly 50 years.”

The legacy they created lives on in avenues outside of UAB. The field’s professional society, the Society for Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), has elected six presidents from UAB since it was established in 1970—including Jimmy Orr and Huh. When Jimmy Orr was president of the SGO in 2004, a member of UAB’s department had been elected for three consecutive years.

The Orrs are hopeful that the legacy that began on UAB’s campus in 1976 will far outlast their lifespan through their bequest.

“It will never end,” Jimmy Orr said. “I will be gone, Vicki will be gone, and our kids will be gone, but this legacy will live on because UAB will continue to multiply the love and care for others. It’s immeasurable. It’s a finite number of dollars, but it’s immeasurable in its effect.”

For more information about bequests or other types of legacy gifts, please contact the Office of Planned Giving at (205) 996-7533 or plannedgiving@uab.edu.