From:  Sturmer, Til <sturmer@unc.edu>

Sent:  Monday, April 01, 2019 7:51 PM

To:  LSRV_epidfaculty.con

Subject: [epidfaculty] Very sad news about Paul A. Godley

 

Dear all,

 

This is to bring you the sad news that our long-time friend, colleague, and Adjunct Professor, Paul Godley, MD, PhD, MPP, suffered a fatal heart attack yesterday while recovering from a previous heart attack he had suffered a few weeks ago. We shall miss him. Our hearts go out to his wife, our own Adaora ("Ada") Adimora, MD, MPH, Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology at the Gillings School, son Alegro, and daughter Bria.

 

Dr. Godley was a major force in medicine and epidemiology whose work made a significant difference in oncology (specifically prostate cancer) and in reducing health disparities. After earning his bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1979, Dr. Godley earned an MD from Harvard, along with an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School in 1984. He came to Carolina in 1987 for a research fellowship in cancer epidemiology, earning his PhD from the Gillings School in 1993 along with subspecialty training in hematology and oncology. In 2000, he was the Co-PI (together with Tim Carey, MD, MPH) on a "Center of Excellence on Overcoming Racial Disparities (CEORHD)," out of which emerged the Program on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Outcomes (ECHO). Established in 2001 and led by Dr. Godley, ECHO was a university initiative to advance understanding and elimination of racial health disparities through multidisciplinary research, education and training, and community partnerships. ECHO provided a home for health disparities research for over 15 years, including projects and resources in the Triad and Eastern NC. ECHO also held seminars at the Sheps Center for Health Services Research and in the Gillings School, and supported the Annual Summer Public Health Research Videoconference on Minority Health and the Annual Minority Health Conference in multiple years.

 

Dr. Godley became the School of Medicine's Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in 2011, its Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, and the Rush S. Dickson Distinguished Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. In 2017, he became the School of Medicine's inaugural Vice Dean of Diversity and Inclusion. Several of Paul's awards are listed at https://unclineberger.org/directory/paul-a-godley/.

 

Speaking more personally, Paul was also an accomplished photographer and world traveler. Some of the core themes of his life's work - medical doctor, researcher, photographer and family man - are beautifully captured in this short video from UNC Health Care. Paul was also a devoted husband and father.

 

Please keep Ada, Alegro and Bria in your thoughts and prayers.