Founder's Dinner – Our Annual Fundraising Celebration!

William C. Campbell. Ph.D. is a celebrated New York Medical College (NYMC) faculty member and 2015 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, who served as an adjunct professor of microbiology and immunology for 25 years from 1985 to 2009.

He was born in Ramelton, Ireland, and studied at Trinity College at the University of Dublin and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned his doctorate in 1957. Following graduation, he began working for the pharmaceutical company Merck at its Institute for Therapeutic Research until 1990. As a parasitologist at Merck, Dr. Campbell was a primary leader of a team that discovered avermectin, which was a major milestone in the treatment of parasitic disease. Further research led to the development of Ivermectin and the discovery that it was effective against river blindness in humans. Onchocerciasis, more commonly known as “river blindness,” is a debilitating disease endemic to parts of Africa, Latin America and Yemen. It is transmitted through the bite of black flies and can cause intense itching, disfiguring dermatitis, eye lesions and blindness.

As a result of Dr. Campbell and his team’s work, the Mectizan Donation Program was developed by Merck, which is the longest-running disease-specific drug donation program and public-private partnership of its kind. It reaches more than 250 million people in the affected areas annually, with more than 2 billion treatments donated since 1987.

Dr. Campbell resides in Massachusetts. He is noted by colleagues and mentees as kind, humble, generous and exuberant and will be remembered by thousands of NYMC graduates for his legendary lectures.

Felix Wimpfheimer, M.D. ‘45 fled to New York City from Nazi Germany in May, 1938 at the age of 17. His mother, the last of the family to leave, escaped on the day of Krystallnacht, November 9, 1938. Felix received his B.A. from New York University. In 1942, when restrictions against the admission of Jews were standard policy for most medical schools, Felix was accepted to New York Medical College, an institution that staunchly rejected the racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic restrictions of the time.

After graduating in 1945, Dr. Wimpfheimer set up his medical practice in the Riverdale section of the Bronx where he served the community as an internist and endocrinologist for over half a century. At the age of 88, he left his solo practice to join the Columbia Faculty Practice in the Bronx until the age of 94. As a teacher and clinician, he has been an inspiration to students, house staff, and colleagues at Montefiore Hospital and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. In 2003, he was honored by the American College of Physicians for his lifetime devotion to the care of patients. At that time, he had voluntarily recertified himself in internal medicine for a record four times.

At the age of 97, Dr. Wimpfheimer keeps current in internal medicine and endocrinology through studying the MKSAP and volunteers once a week at the Montefiore endocrinology clinic. He resides in Riverdale with his wife, Greta. They recently celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary.

Judith M. Watson, R.N., B.S.N., M.P.H. ’07, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica, West Indies, at the age of seven. Ms. Watson joined the United States Army immediately after graduating from White Plains High School, completing a three-year tour active duty tour. Following discharge from active duty in 1990, Ms. Watson joined the Army Reserves where she served actively for four years and inactively for an additional three years—ultimately rising to the rank of Sergeant E-5. Ms. Watson credits her disciplined nature and work ethic to the time spent in the military.

Following her career in the armed services, Ms. Watson’s passion for the advocacy led her to become a Registered Nurse. She completed undergraduate studies at Pace University in 1994, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Registered Nursing, then securing a nursing position at the Greenburgh Health Center where she has been employed for more than 24 years. And, in 2002 was named the Executive Director. When the Greenburgh Health Center merged into the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center Inc., in 2005, Ms. Watson was tasked with leading a seamless transition. To better prepare for this position, Ms. Watson obtained a Master of Public Health Degree in health policy and management from New York Medical College in 2007. She believes that there could be no greater satisfaction for her, than playing a role in ensuring that the health care needs are met for all, particularly for the most vulnerable among us.

While her career and subsequent responsibilities demand the majority of her time and attention, she cherishes spending time with her loving family, partner, good friends, jogging, travel, movies and meditation.