Mikhail Professorship Elevates the Future of UNC Surgical Oncology

There are donors whose generosity reflects gratitude, and then there are donors whose gifts reshape what is possible for others. Sheila Mikhail stands in that second category—a philanthropist, life sciences leader, and women’s health advocate whose vision is transforming the future of breast cancer care at UNC Health.

Her establishment of the Sheila Mikhail Distinguished Professorship in Surgical Oncology is a deeply personal and profoundly impactful investment—one inspired by her own breast cancer journey and by the surgeon who changed it.

For nearly 25 years, Mikhail has been a pioneering force in the life sciences, known for building innovative healthcare organizations and championing equitable access to treatment. Whether advocating for global access to therapeutics or supporting children with ultra‑rare diseases, her work has consistently focused on reaching patients who might otherwise be left behind.

But in 2022, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her sense of mission took on a new and more intimate dimension. Despite a clean mammogram, further testing revealed extensive disease—an overwhelming and very public shift at the height of her career. Many early medical encounters left her feeling unseen and unheard, more processed than cared for, until she met Kristalyn Gallagher, DO, FACS.

Dr. Gallagher brought something into the room that Mikhail hadn’t encountered before: unwavering presence, clarity and choice. Where others had given a single path forward, Dr. Gallagher offered an alternative grounded in surgical expertise and delivered with honesty and compassion. She acknowledged uncertainties, explained possibilities, and treated Mikhail as a whole person rather than a diagnosis.

For this work and in recognition of her leadership, Dr. Gallagher has been named the inaugural recipient of the Sheila Mikhail Distinguished Professorship in the Department of Surgical Oncology.

“You focused entirely on me,” Mikhail said at a recent dinner honoring the two. “You gave me hope. And you gave me a choice.”

That experience preserved not only Mikhail’s health but her sense of control—reframing a terrifying moment into one defined by dignity. It also guided her toward advocacy, including work to expand supplemental screening for women with dense breasts so more cancers can be found early, and more patients can benefit from informed options.

Most of all, it guided her toward making philanthropic investments that will change the course of breast surgical oncology at UNC.

Mikhail chose to accompany the professorship with the establishment of a program fund, supported by an initial gift of $1 million, in appreciation for the care she received from Dr. Gallagher. The fund will support surgical innovation in breast cancer research and treatment, including breast cancer educational and training opportunities for practicing surgeons, as well as other strategic initiatives.

The impact of gifts like these is felt across the surgical oncology community.

“Sheila has truly helped guide our Division of Surgical Oncology and advance our cancer work by supporting people like Kristalyn,” said Caprice C. Greenberg, MD, MPH, chair of the UNC Department of Surgery. “Professorships are among the highest honors in academic medicine—they recognize excellence and create the foundation for our faculty to pursue work they otherwise might not be able to do.”

Dr. Greenberg explained how philanthropy like this fuels innovation, pointing to Dr. Gallagher’s recent trip to Sweden to launch a multi‑institutional trial with European collaborators.

“Projects like that require support of this kind, which enables her to do the groundwork necessary for these groundbreaking initiatives,” said Dr. Greenberg.

For Dr. Gallagher, the professorship is not only an honor but a call to elevate what is possible for patients.

“What this professorship means to me is really the ability to build—build a better center, better care, better outcomes for our patients,” Dr. Gallagher said. “There are so many unanswered questions in breast cancer care, and this support gives us the framework to address them.”

Dr. Gallagher emphasized how philanthropic flexibility allows her team to pursue the research needed to fill critical gaps, noting, “This will give us the flexibility to pursue ideas that can truly shape the future” by investing in education and training. With conviction, she described the research ambitions the professorship will fuel—from developing techniques that preserve sensation after mastectomy to expanding personalized treatment approaches.

“These things matter deeply for quality of life and survivorship,” she said. “If we can really improve life after breast cancer, that is transformative.”

As she reflected on Mikhail’s support, Dr. Gallagher’s gratitude was unmistakable.

“This gift is not a culmination,” she said. “It’s a catalyst.”

It will accelerate innovation, strengthen clinical trials, and create space for ideas that could truly reshape the future of breast cancer care.

“Your passion is inspiring. Your belief in this work changes lives.”

At its core, Mikhail’s philanthropy affirms a simple but life-altering belief: every woman deserves real, dignifying options when facing breast cancer. By honoring the surgeon who changed her path, she is ensuring that countless others will encounter the same standard of presence and possibility. Her gift will echo in research breakthroughs, in expanded surgical choices, and in the hands of future physicians whose training is made possible by this professorship. And it will echo in the lives of women who, at one of the most frightening moments they will ever face, will find what Mikhail once found—hope, clarity and choice.

Through this professorship, paired with the program fund that extends its impact, Mikhail is not merely supporting a physician; she is shaping the future of breast cancer care at UNC and creating a legacy defined by compassion, innovation and possibility.