Howe’s Brooklyn for May 6
Scaling the Heights
One of the most knowledgeable and capable of those working behind the scenes to help save LICH is an unsung Heights hero named Morrell (Mike) Avram. A resident of the Heights since 1959, Dr. Avram established the Avram Center for Kidney Diseases in 1971. A world-renowned specialist, Dr. Avram remained loyal to LICH through five decades, and his Avram Kidney Center had the distinction of keeping a patient alive on dialysis for 38 years , longer than any other center in the world.
Mike and his wife Maria have, without asking for any fanfare, given millions of dollars to charities in the Heights and in the Hamptons throughout their tenure in the historic neighborhood they love (Maria was recently given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Stony Brook University School of Nursing.) But perhaps they might not mind a little fanfare for their greatest achievement of all: their children. They have produced five extraordinary professionals, four of whom became doctors:Rella Hartman, MB, Marc Avram, MD, Mathew Avram, MD, and David Avram, MD. Eric Avram, pictured with his father below at a recent White House reception, is a Senior Executive Producer at ABC News.