THE IROQUOIS STEEPLECHASE ANNOUNCES HONORARY CO-CHAIRS FOR 2020 RACE MEET
David P. Bichell, MD, and David Green to co-chair the 2020 Iroquois Steeplechase
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –The Iroquois Steeplechase sponsored by Bank of America, benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is pleased to announce the honorary co-chairs of the 2020 Iroquois Steeplechase, David P. Bichell, MD, and David Green. The Iroquois Steeplechase is recognizing these Nashvillians for demonstrating the race meet’s dedication to tradition and philanthropy.
David P. Bichell, MD
“It is a privilege to represent Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt as honorary co- chair of this year’s Iroquois Steeplechase,” said David P. Bichell, MD., William S. Stoney Jr. professor of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, professor of Clinical Cardiac Surgery and chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Children’s Hospital. “We are so grateful for this annual event, a favorite Nashville tradition, for its longstanding support of our hospital and the care we provide to children and families. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to stand with the other co-chair who goes above and beyond to impact our community every day.”
Bichell, a nationally known pediatric cardiac surgeon, specializes in the surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in infants, children and adults. He also serves as the principal investigator for clinical research studies in a variety of fields, pharmacologic advances in the treatment of children and brain protection during neonatal surgery. He has published various peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts, as well as several book chapters.
David Green
“The continued support of the Volunteer Horseman’s Association with their goal to keep the safety of the horse and rider paramount has elevated the Iroquois Steeplechase to one of the premier steeplechase courses in the country,” said David Green. “I am proud that this sporting event has done so much for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and our wonderful Nashville community.”
David Green is an agronomist and former golf superintendent who attracted the attention of Calvin Houghland, former Chair of the Race Committee. Houghland hired Green more than 30 years ago to make the course safer by installing an irrigation system. The Iroquois Steeplechase course had suffered drought conditions that posed increase risk to the horse and rider. Once Green had installed the irrigation system, the turf track serves as a shock absorber and cups the horse hoof to provide safer conditions for the horse and rider during the races. Green continues to manage the irrigation of the track at Percy Warner Park.
“When the co-chairs are chosen, we look for community members that represent the essence of the Iroquois Steeplechase. Dr. Bichell preserves and protects the hearts of the children in Middle Tennessee. His dedication to our beneficiary is uncontested,” said Dwight Hall, Chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase Race Committee. “David Green has been a part of the Iroquois family for
many years and holds a vital role in the safety and success of the event. His passion for ensuring the safety of the participants is what makes the Iroquois Steeplechase a world-class event.”
About The Iroquois Steeplechase
The Iroquois Steeplechase is an iconic sporting event that has been Nashville’s rite of spring since 1941. Held the second Saturday of each May at Percy Warner Park, the annual event attracts more than 25,000 spectators and is Music City’s celebration of time-honored traditions, Tennessee hospitality and southern fashions. The event also supports several philanthropic causes and has donated more than $10 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt since 1981. To learn more about Steeplechase, visit www.iroquoissteeplechase.org.
About Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, treating and helping to prevent a full range of pediatric health issues from colds and broken bones to complex heart diseases and cancer. Children’s Hospital’s physicians are nationally recognized innovators in their fields who are discovering new ways to cure and prevent a host of childhood diseases. Their work is preventing and finding new treatments for diseases such as premature birth, cancer, heart disease, spina bifida, trauma and many other conditions, and is an investment in the future. Achieving 10 out of 10 nationally ranked pediatric specialties in 2019, Children’s Hospital was again named among the nation’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” for the 13th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a nonprofit organization, opened in 2004, expanded its physical space in 2012, and recently added four new floors encompassing 160,000 total sq. ft. The new expansion helps to advance the size and scope of the hospital’s mission.
For more about Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt: ChildrensHospitalVanderbilt.org
