Supporting Neethu Gopal and daughter during a time of loss.

Our third-year resident, Dr. Neethu Gopal, has recently experienced the heartbreaking loss of her husband of nearly 25 years, Dr. Sridharan Manavalan, to pancreatic cancer. Dr. Manavalan, known affectionately as Sri, was diagnosed just one day before Neethu began her intern year at Mayo Clinic.

Sri was a distinguished Professor of Anatomy with a PhD in Neuroscience. Over his remarkable 26-year teaching career, he taught at medical schools across Russia, Libya, Malaysia, England, and the United States, earning numerous teaching awards. Among his accolades was a prestigious Gold Medal from the university where he completed his PhD. Known for his kindness, Sri was beloved by his students and colleagues alike. Above all, he was a devoted husband and father, whose unwavering support and love inspired Neethu to pursue excellence in her career and personal life.

Despite this profound loss, Neethu has shown incredible resilience. She has returned to work this past week, determined to continue her training and growth as a radiologist.

As a community, we have an opportunity to support Neethu and her daughter during this difficult time. Unfortunately, Sri’s employer-provided medical insurance and disability coverage expired over a year ago, leaving him reliant on Dr. Gopal’s Mayo Clinic resident medical plan, which has not fully covered the substantial medical expenses incurred.

To help alleviate this financial burden, we have established a GoFundMe campaign. Our hope is to ease the stress on Neethu and her daughter so they can focus on healing. Importantly, Neethu is unaware of this effort, as we believe she would humbly decline such assistance.

Your support—whether through a contribution or by spreading the word—can make a meaningful difference. Let’s come together to show our care and solidarity for a cherished member of our team and her family during this challenging time.