DOCTOR VICTOR CHANG
G'day folks,
Victor Peter Chang, AC, was a Chinese-born Australian cardiac
surgeon and a pioneer of modern heart transplantation. Born in Shanghai
to Australian-born Chinese parents, he grew up in Hong Kong before
moving to Australia.
As a gifted surgeon,
respected humanitarian and skilled campaigner, Dr Victor Chang was a pioneer of
the modern era of heart transplantation.
His
achievements include developing Australia’s National Heart Transplant Program
at St Vincent’s hospital, which has since performed more than
1200 successful heart, heart-lung, and single lung transplants since 1984.
He also saw the incredible value of research – playing a key role in
development of an artificial heart valve and, in later years, an artificial
heart.
Victor
Chang (Yam Him) was born in Shanghai of Australian-born Chinese parents. He
came to Australia in 1953 to complete his secondary schooling at Christian
Brothers College, Lewisham. He graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor
of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1962.
In 1966
Victor became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons at the age of 30.
Initially he trained in general surgery in England, but he commenced serious
training in cardiac and thoracic surgery at the Brompton Hospital for Chest
Diseases in London. It was in London that he met and married his wife, Ann.
After two years at the Mayo Clinic in the U.S., where he was chief resident, he
returned to Sydney in 1972 to join the elite St Vincent’s cardiothoracic team,
which included Dr Harry Windsor and Dr Mark Shanahan. In 1973 he was made a
Fellow of the Australasian College of Surgeons and in 1975 he became a Fellow
of the American College of Surgeons.
A pioneer
of the modern era of heart transplantation, Victor Chang was responsible for
the establishment of the National Heart Transplant Unit at St Vincent’s
Hospital in 1984, lobbying politicians and raising funds for its ongoing work.
During
the 1980’s he lectured extensively in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore
and Malaysia. He founded the Australasian-China Medical Education and
Scientific Research Foundation which sponsored South-East Asian doctors, nurses
and students to work in Australia and take improved skills and quality of care
back to their home countries.
At the
same time, he helped teams from St Vincent’s travel to China, Singapore and
Indonesia where they shared their medical, surgical, nursing and hospital
administration expertise.
In 1986
Victor Chang was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia and the University
of New South Wales awarded its highest degree of M.D. Honoris Causa for
“scholarly achievement and humanitarian endeavour”.
Victor
Chang died in tragic circumstances in Sydney on 4 July 1991.
He was an
Honorary Professor of Surgery to the Chinese Academy of Medical Science in
Peking; an honorary Professor of Surgery to Shanghai Medical School; official
advisor on cardiac surgery development in Indonesia; and a member of the
Australia China Council.
In 2000,
Dr Victor Chang was named Australian of the Century by the people of Australia.
He is
remembered as a quiet, charming man – much loved by his patients and his
friends, his wife Ann and his children Vanessa, Matthew and Marcus.
Clancy's comment: I recall when this man was killed. What a waste of a bright human.
I'm ...
R.I.P
