Honoring Dr. Thomas J. Fogarty – An Innovative Visionary
“I share Tom’s deep commitment to fostering medtech innovation so supporting the Fogarty Innovation prize felt like a natural fit. Tom’s innate curiosity and contrarian thinking were key to his success in making big things happen, and he has always loved coaching and encouraging others.”
Dr. Thomas J. Fogarty embodies true innovation in the medical field. Not only have Tom’s groundbreaking inventions revolutionized vascular surgery and launched an era of minimally invasive devices, but he has also been a tireless advocate for innovation, mentoring and championing new ideas. His philosophy that true innovation must be widely adopted and implemented has guided his career and continues to inspire medical leaders, including myself.
As a tribute to Tom, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, Linda and I were pleased to contribute $1 million to help establish the Thomas J. Fogarty MD Innovation Prize in honor of his transformative contributions to the field of medicine.
With this award, Fogarty Innovation CEO Andrew Cleeland and the Linda and Mike Mussallem Foundation aim to inspire and support the next generation of medtech innovators. The award is designed to celebrate innovators who, like Dr. Fogarty, exhibit tremendous insight, creativity, perseverance and courage to push the boundaries of medical technology. It will recognize individuals who have developed technologies or therapies that demonstrate meaningful clinical impact and widespread adoption in the medical community. To make this program self-sustaining for years to come, Fogarty Innovation anticipates raising $1.5M to match our donation, empowering future medtech pioneers for generations to follow.
Tom’s approach to innovation—marked by curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo—resonates deeply with the values of the Linda and Mike Mussallem Foundation. Innovation requires a great deal of investment, risk, failure, and perseverance, and we are aligned with Tom’s mission of “finding a better way.” We are excited to support this prize and its namesake’s legacy of transformative impact, and look forward to the inaugural winner[s] being announced in
October 2025.
Mike Mussallem
July 31, 2024