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Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Become a Member
ACS
Donor Stories

Peter and Marshia Carlino Fund Vital Surgical Adhesions Initiative

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Peter and Marshia Carlino at the Surgical Adhesions Improvement Project Summit, Washington, DC

In 2023, when Peter and Marshia Carlino presented the ACS Foundation with one of the most significant gifts in its history, they had a clear goal in mind—to provide better outcomes for the many patients who suffer from the devastating complications caused by surgical adhesions.

"We have personally witnessed the profound impact of surgical adhesions on individuals' lives and recognized an urgent need for advancement in this field,” said Mr. Carlino, who along with his wife, have a history of committed philanthropic support toward medical research and patient care advancements. “We are looking forward to ACS leading the way in creating greater understanding on this complex issue so that we find a way to bring relief to all who suffer from these painful adhesions.”

“By working with the American College of Surgeons, we believe it is possible to change the narrative around surgical adhesions, bringing hope to countless patients across the nation.”

Peter Carlino

To this end, the Carlino’s $1 million gift enabled the ACS to create the Surgical Adhesions Improvement Project. Guided by the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, the project seeks to enhance patient outcomes through innovation and evidence-based practices. It held its first summit in Washington, DC, in September of 2024, during which promising advancements were discussed—including standardization, adhesion barriers, and the use of stem cells to influence healing responses.

"The Carlino family's contributions to the realm of healthcare have been invaluable," said H. Randolph Bailey, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Foundation. "This new initiative to increase the understanding and treatment of surgical adhesions aligns seamlessly with their vision of enhancing patient care through investing in pioneering research."

The Carlino family’s visionary contribution empowers the ACS to expand its research, convene the brightest minds in the field, and develop innovative strategies that are not just theoretically sound, but also pragmatically applicable. “By working with the American College of Surgeons,” says Mr. Carlino, “We believe it is possible to change the narrative around surgical adhesions, bringing hope to countless patients across the nation.”