New Jersey Doctor Continues Family’s Legacy of Caring
May 27, 2022
For Saleem Husain, M.D., an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Aaron J. Feingold Cardiac Catheterization Suite at JFK University Medical Center, giving back to support patient care is part of leaving a legacy.
As a young boy, Dr. Husain learned the importance of philanthropy from his father, Mohamed Abdul Husain, M.D., one of JFK’s first emergency doctors 40 years ago. It is a crucial lesson passed down to each generation in the Husain family.
“My father told me that if I ever became successful, to make sure I give money to charity and education,” says Dr. Husain. “Since I spend most of my time here at the medical center and I grew up here in Edison, I felt this was a way to give back to the community that helped make me successful.”
Since joining JFK more than 20 years ago, Dr. Husain has generously donated to JFK University Medical Center Foundation’s initiatives to improve patient care. He and his wife, Joann, manage the Husain Foundation, as well as the Kulsun Foundation, which Dr. Husain’s father created to honor his mother.
In the past, Dr. Husain has supported the hospital’s emergency department expansion through a meaningful gift made in honor of his father, who passed away three years ago. Dr. Husain continues to support cardiac services and projects, including the recent renovation of the cardiac catheterization suite.
The money is helping provide cardiac services that weren’t previously available. The cardiac team performs more than 3,000 procedures a year, including cardiac catheterizations and angioplasties. “Now people in this area don’t have to go far away to get a heart procedure,” Dr. Husain says. “They can get it right here at JFK.”
In 2020, JFK became the first hospital in New Jersey to be designated a HeartCARE Center by the American College of Cardiology. This designation recognizes the hospital’s commitment to a comprehensive high-quality cardiac culture.
“Dr. Husain's generous giving and philanthropic spirit have made an incredible impact, enabling JFK to create a state-of-the-art emergency department and cardiac catheterization lab," says Sheri A. Marino, CCC-SLP, executive director, JFK University Medical Center Foundation. "Under his leadership, Dr. Husain's team has expanded the medical center’s role in heart failure and chest pain, elevating the academic medical institution to a heart care center of excellence.”
Adds Dr. Husain: “Philanthropy is necessary to the success of our community. When you contribute to your community, it can flourish and become better. Giving can be so much better than receiving, especially when you see how it benefits those around you.”
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