Each year the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) recognizes up to six Honorary Fellows. Honorary Fellowship is designed to honor individuals, regardless of specialty, in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contributions to the field of colon and rectal surgery and allied fields. Nominees for Honorary Fellow should have made significant contributions to the peer reviewed literature, advancement and/or fostering of innovation, and education in the specialty of colon and rectal surgery or allied fields; demonstrated significant and/or sustained leadership within their country, national or regional society; developed and promulgated significant advances (clinical, research and/or technological) in the field of colon and rectal surgery and allied fields.

The Executive Council and members of the Honorary Fellowship Committee are pleased to submit the following slate of 2024 Honorary Fellow nominees for election.


Denise Hibbert RN, Saudi Arabia
RGN, MSc, BSc, DipHE, ONC, STN, FSSCRS

• Senior Advisor to the Director General, Health Affairs of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahmam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Registered Nurse and Senior Lecturer at Al Faisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• President Elect of the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists® (WCET®)
• Executive Board Member of WCET®
• Editorial Board member of Annals of Saudi Medicine, World Journal of Colorectal Surgery, the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists Journal and Advances in Skin and Wound Care.
• Established Saudi Chapter of Enterostomal therapists in 2012.
• Founder of a nationally and internationally recognized formal education program (diploma program) in enterostomal therapy in Saudi Arabia and initiated ET training into the curriculum of medical schools.
• 35 years of experience in colorectal nursing with 25 years in stoma, wound, continence, and anorectal physiology and widely regarded as bringing expertise and training in the care of stoma patients to Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East.
• Introduced Anorectal Physiology testing and biofeedback therapy in Saudi Arabia, including training for both Colorectal Fellows and Enterostomal Therapists   

Dr. Brij Agarwal, India

• Co-chair of Department of Laparoscopic, Laser and General Surgery at Ganga Ram Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi (Chair as of December 1, 2023)
• Founding Director of the post-doctoral fellowship program in colorectal surgery in Northern India
• Editor in Chief, Indian Journal of Colorectal Surgery
• National award (2016) of “outstanding surgeon of the year” by the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI is the national body of surgeons with more than 30,000 surgeons), State award (2015) for “best surgeon of the year” by the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), and National award (2014) of “outstanding researcher of the year” by the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI)
• Past president of the Association of Surgeons of India (2018)
• Vice President of International Society of Coloproctology (2015-2017)
• Associate Editor, Indian Journal of Surgery (2013-2018)
• Established a foundation KRISH (Knowledge Research Innovation in Science of Health) which provides academic support and grants to residents in surgery in addition to organizing an annual meeting bringing international surgery leaders for interaction with young surgeons since 2012.
• Widely regarded for his passion for teaching, training young surgeons and elevating colorectal care in India.
• Developed an annual international colorectal surgery summit at his institution with colorectal surgery leadership from the USA and Europe.

Dr. Carlo Ratto, Italy

• Chief of Proctology and Pelvic Floor surgery, Catholic University Hospital “A. Gemelli”, Rome Italy
• Associate Professor of Surgery
• Inventor of the GateKeeper and SphinKeeper procedure for fecal incontinence and developed aspects of the THD procedure for hemorrhoidal disease.
• Former General Secretary and former Vice President of the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR)
• Editor of textbooks on Fecal Incontinence: Diagnosis and Treatment and three volume of book series “Coloproctology”
• European Society of Coloproctology- former ESCP delegate from Italy
• Research and clinical interests – rectal prolapse and ODS, fecal incontinence, hemorrhoids, anal fistula, anal cancer (HPV related diseases), and anorectal physiology.
• Editorial boards-Techniques in Coloproctology, World Journal of Gastroenterology and Advisory Board of Colorectal Disease.

Professor Antonino Spinelli, Italy
MD, PhD, FEBS (Colo), FESA, FASCRS, CBCD (Hon), CSS (Hon)

• Director of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Humanitas, Rozzano Milano and Co-Director of the integrated IBD Center, Humanitas Research hospital, Rozzano, Milano
• Professor of Surgery, Humanitas University
• Director of Residency Program in General Surgery and Lead of the Surgical Innovation Committee
• President Elect European Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery
• Research and Clinical interests include colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, surgical innovation, robotic surgery and ERAS.
• 365 publications plus 11 book chapters
• H index (Scopus) 55
• Editorial Boards/Associated Editor Role - Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, Journal of the Anus, Rectum and Colon, Journal of Crohn’s Colitis, Coloproctology, Updates in Surgery, Colorectal Disease.

 
Election of 2024 Honorary Fellows
The 2024 Honorary Fellow nominees will be voted on ahead of the 2024 Annual Business meeting in Baltimore this June. The purpose is to allow time for recipients to be notified and to make arrangements to travel to the meeting.  ASCRS Voting Fellows will receive a separate communication with information about voting.

We hope you will join us in Baltimore June 1-4, 2024, to meet our honorees. Register today for ASM 2024 and join us for our 125^th Anniversary!