Spirit of Charity Award

2026 Spirit of Charity Award Recipient

Dr. Elma Ireland LeDoux

The Spirit of Charity Foundation, with a 30-year record of assistance to underserved patients, families, and employees at New Orleans' public hospital(s), is pleased to announce Dr. Elma Ireland LeDoux as the 2026 Spirit of Charity awardee.

The award is presented every year to exceptional physicians who have changed lives through their invaluable contributions to medicine and the healing power of compassion cultivated during their career at the beloved Charity Hospital, New Orleans, and its successor institutions following Hurricane Katrina.

Dr. LeDoux serves as the Associate Dean, Admissions and Student Affairs at the Tulane University School of Medicine. She is on the faculty for the Program in Medical Ethics and Human Values. Although her duties prevent her from further clinical hospital roles, she volunteers every weekend as the Attending Physician at New Orleans' Ozanam Inn, where she supervises medical students and interns also serving the homeless there.

Dr. LeDoux will be presented with the 2026 Spirit of Charity award at the Foundation's annual Gala on Friday evening, October 9, 2026, Lakefront Airport.

Individual Tickets for the 2026 Spirit of Charity Award Gala go on sale on May 11, 2026.

Become a 2026 sponsor

Donate and Ways to give

For more information, contact socfoundation@lcmchealth.org or call 504.702.3113.

Past recipients

2025

Peter DeBlieux, MD

Tulane & LSU

Emergency Medicine

2024

Gabriella Pridjian, MD

Tulane

Obstetrics & Gynecology

2022

Juzar Ali, MD

LSU

Pulmonary & Critical Care

2021

Raju Thomas, MD

Tulane

Urology

2020

The entire dedicated team of UMC for all their COVID-19 efforts

2019

Steve Nelson, MD

LSU

School of Medicine Dean

2018

L. Lee Hamm, III, MD

Tulane

Nephrology

2017

Bennett DeBoisblanc, MD

LSU

Pulmonary/Critical Care

2016

Raoul Rodriguez, MD

Tulane

Orthopedic Surgery

2015: Joseph J Biundo, Jr., MD, LSU, Rheumatology and PM&R

2014: Karen DeSalvo, MD, Tulane, Internal Medicine

2013: Jack Andonie, MD, LSU, Obstetrics and Gynecology

2012: William Gill, MD, Tulane, Pediatric Neonatologist

2011: Charles "Bo" Sanders, MD, LSU, Internal Medicine

2010: Newton E. Hyslop, Jr., MD, Tulane, Infectious Disease

2009: David "Luke" Glancy, MD, LSU, Cardiology

2008: Norman E. McSwain, Jr., MD, Tulane, Trauma Surgery

2005: Frank Incaprera, MD, LSU, Internal Medicine

2004: Hyman Cyril Tolmas, MD, Tulane, Pediatrics

2003: Isidore Cohn, Jr., MD, LSU, Surgery

2002: Albert L. Hyman, MD, Tulane, Cardiology

2001: Jack Perry Strong, MD, LSU, Pathology

2000: Abe Mickal, MD, LSU, Obstetrics and Gynecology

1999: Gerald Berenson, MD, Tulane, Cardiology

1998: Michael DeBakey, MD, Tulane, Cardiothoracic Surgery