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3/16/10 news article

Dayton Children's names Victor Nanagas, Jr, MD, the 2010 Wallace B. Taggart Award winner

The Taggart award is the highest physician award given

The Children's Medical Center of Dayton is pleased to announce Victor Nanagas, Jr, MD, has been awarded the Wallace B. Taggart Award for his outstanding service in the health care of children. Dr. Nanagas was honored by his peers during a ceremony on Friday, March 12, at the Dayton Art Institute. 

The son of a surgeon and a family physician, Dr. Nanagas received his medical degree and general surgery residency at the University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines. He traveled to Boston to do complete a master of science in surgery, pediatric surgery residency and fellowship in pediatric surgery at Tuft's New England Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Children's Medical Center of Boston. 

Dr. Nanagas was personally recruited by Dr. Louis Schwab, Dayton Children's top administrator, to join the Children's Medical Center. He joined Dr. Charles Goodwin, Dr. Arie Verhagen and Dr. Alan Shafer when pediatric surgery was a new specialty in 1979. During his over 30 years with Dayton Children's, Dr. Nanagas has shown an unmatched commitment to caring for the children of the Miami Valley. He has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure every kid has received the best surgical care available. 

"The children and families of Dayton are lucky to have gained a pediatric surgeon with dedication like Victor," said Dr. Charles Goodwin, colleague and friend of Dr. Nanagas for 30 years. 

"He has always built a strong connection with his patients and it shows. His confidence and caring heart wins over parents and children immediately." 

At Dayton Children's Dr. Nanagas has served as chairman of surgery, division head of general pediatric surgery, co-director of the trauma center and vice president of Pediatric Surgeons of Dayton. He is also currently a clinical professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. He has served on the Board of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and as President of the Western Ohio Pediatric Society. 

"One of my proudest accomplishments is the training of over 300 pediatric surgical residents," Dr. Nanagas said. "In fact, Wright State University has graduated five pediatric surgical residents, which is one of the highest in the country." 

He is also an advocate for medical education in the Philippines. He and Maria [his wife] donated two professorial chairs to the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and provide funding for a full academic scholarship to a needy and deserving medical student each year for the University of the Philippines. 

"Victor leaves a lasting impression on everyone he encounters, especially through his caring spirit and willingness to share knowledge. He has contributed to numerous medical journals and books, and has presented on pediatric surgery in the United States and back in his native Philippines," Dr. Goodwin said. "Victor is truly an inspiration." 

Dr. Nanagas and his wife Maria, a pediatrician also with Dayton Children's, reside in Kettering and have three children who carry on five generations of Nanagases in medicine, Victor III, a pediatrician, Valerie, an emergency medicine physician and Vivian, a medical student at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. He also has five grandchildren that he spends as much time with as possible. 

About the Taggart Award:
The hospital and the professional staff established the Wallace B. Taggart award for outstanding service in the health care of children in 1981 to recognize professional staff members with a commitment to Dayton Children's, a commitment to quality patient care and a commitment to those in the community. The award is the hospital's highest physician honor and is designed to credit the example of Dr. Taggart and his colleagues who pioneered pediatric care in Dayton. Dr. Wallace B. Taggart was the first chief of staff at Dayton Children's, and he cared for children above all else. He was deeply committed to the mission of children's medical center and to students, to colleagues and to his community.

For more information, contact: 
Marketing Communications Department 
Phone: 937-641-3666 
marketing@childrensdayton.org