When Jon Lindseth received a bleak medical diagnosis, he decided to seek out a second opinion. A phone call led him to Michael Zell, MD, and a more optimistic outlook on the future. Dr. Zell is Chief of the Division of Men’s Voiding Dysfunction in the University Hospitals Urology Institute and Director of Urologic Surgery and Chair of the Department of Surgery at UH Ahuja Medical Center.

In recognition of his outstanding patient care, Jon and his late wife, Ginny, established the Jon A. Lindseth and Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD, Chair in Urologic Excellence, with Dr. Zell serving as the inaugural chairholder. In appreciation, Jon and Ginny will be recognized as distinguished members of the Samuel Mather Society, the highest recognition society at UH, which honors donors for their extraordinary commitment to advancing the UH mission.

“I’m deeply honored and sincerely grateful to Jon and Ginny, whose generosity made this chair possible,” Dr. Zell said. “This is not just a gift to me, but an investment in the work we do, the people we serve and the future we are trying to build. Endowed support like this creates something lasting, an opportunity to think bigger, to push further and pursue ideas that might otherwise would remain out of reach.

“Most importantly, this gift reflects the values of Jon and Ginny and their belief in education, discovery and service to others. I’m proud to carry that forward.”

Dr. Zell’s clinical and research interests include minimally invasive treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP); and improving the well-being of men suffering with urinary problems.

Through this chair, Dr. Zell hopes to advance care in men’s voiding dysfunction, particularly through procedures like HoLEP, which can dramatically relieve symptoms, restore daily function and lead to a meaningful improvement in a patient’s quality of life.

“By expanding access, refining reporting outcomes and training others, I hope to extend these benefits to more patients and help UH become a destination for men with voiding dysfunction.”