Happy Birthday to Grady legend Nanette Wenger, MD

The Department of Medicine wishes Nanette Wenger, MD, professor emeritus in the Division of Cardiology, a very happy 90th birthday September 3, 2020! Read a special feature on Wenger’s incredible career below.

This story originally appeared in the Grady Community Update.

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She’s a renowned cardiologist and researcher. A beloved physician and mentor. Dr. Nanette Wenger is a Grady legend. [Today], she adds another major achievement to her long list of successes – she’s celebrating her 90th birthday!

Since joining the Emory School of Medicine faculty at Grady in 1958, Wenger has cared for thousands of patients with compassion and respect, even at a time when that wasn’t always the norm.

“I arrived in 1958 and had never lived in a segregated environment. We had “The Gradys” then, separate facilities for black and white patients. As chief of the Cardiac Clinic, I addressed every patient as Mr., Miss or Mrs. – regardless of race. That was against the rules, people reported me, and I spent quite a lot of time in the hospital superintendent’s office discussing my interactions with patients. I refused to do what southern convention required, so he and I agreed we’d be seeing a lot of each other,” said Wenger.

From that day to this, Wenger has been at the forefront of advancing cardiac care and patient outcomes at Grady and across the nation.

“We made great strides in care because we all worked together. Cooperation from hospital administration, physicians, nurses, and our patients. Grady patients are special. They entrust us with their care, the highest level of trust you can be given. They’ve helped train generations of physicians and participated in research that has changed the way we practice medicine.”

So what’s next, now that she’s 90 years young?

“My passion for medicine remains strong, though my focus has changed in the last few years,” said Wenger. “I now realize the importance of advocacy. I believe it’s another responsibility physicians must assume to help give our patients every opportunity for a healthy life.”

Additional Features on Nanette Wenger

• Nanette Wenger, MD, receives 2020 Eugene Braunwald Academic Mentorship Award
• Highlighted Researcher: Nanette Wenger
• Nanette Wenger: History of Cardiology at Emory and Grady
• Emory researchers co-author AHA’s first ever statement on female heart attacks
• Emory Healthcare launches new heart center for women