A truly innovative Victoria surgeon, Dr. Fouad Ahmed Hamdi was honoured this week for a list of accomplishments that included his pioneering 50 years ago of spinal cord replacement surgery.
Island Health board chair Leah Hollins, Health Minister Adrian Dix and others representing the medical community were at Royal Jubilee Hospital on Thursday to open a time capsule display featuring pieces of historical equipment and the stories behind them.
B次元官网网址淲hen we look at the massive advancements in surgical procedures in the past 50 years, itB次元官网网址檚 really an amazing series of accomplishments,B次元官网网址� said Dix.
B次元官网网址漃reserving the past and learning from our history is incredibly important, and itB次元官网网址檚 great to be able to highlight surgical artifacts and interventions from which weB次元官网网址檝e learned. By highlighting Dr. HamdiB次元官网网址檚 surgical innovation, weB次元官网网址檙e able to see what great things we were capable of then, and what weB次元官网网址檙e capable of today.B次元官网网址�
At the time of HamdiB次元官网网址檚 innovative procedure B次元官网网址� the first of its kind in Canada B次元官网网址� newspapers across the country touted the surgery as a ground-breaking success. The patient, 65-year-old William Hamilton, recovered fully, leading to other similar surgeries and an outpouring of support for the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
At the same time, Hamdi and his colleague, Dr. Bill Gaddes, established a laboratory at the Jubilee which provided training opportunities for University of Victoria graduates. For his part, Hamdi was presented to the British Columbia legislature in 1968 and made an honourary citizen of Victoria in 1971.
His son, Ramsay Hamdi, attended the opening of the display and said he was happy to be honouring his father, who died in 2004. Donating one of the original spinal prosthesis to the Victoria Medical Society was a way of recognizing a passionate man, dedicated to learning.
B次元官网网址淏y honouring our father today, we know his spirit, his inventiveness and commitment to the wellness of others will continue to be recognized and shared,B次元官网网址� said Ramsay.
Hollins said her organization is committed to honouring innovators of the past, but sees the recognition of past accomplishments as consistent with the philosophy of Island HealthB次元官网网址檚 core philosophy.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e pleased to showcase Dr. HamdiB次元官网网址檚 medical contributions 50 years ago. ItB次元官网网址檚 also an opportunity to highlight that we continue to support innovation that puts patients first. ItB次元官网网址檚 what we strive for,B次元官网网址� she said.
Celebrating HamdiB次元官网网址檚 work and displaying equipment from the 1960s and earlier is part of the hospitalB次元官网网址檚 move to honour advancements in surgical procedures and the groundbreaking role the Royal Jubilee Hospital has played.
The Victoria Medical Society is working toward restoring the Pemberton Memorial Operating Room as a medical history museum and a home for the societyB次元官网网址檚 medical archives and offices. The operating room was built in 1896 for the princely sum of $3,614 with funds donated by the estate of J.D. Pemberton,the first Surveyor General for the colony of Vancouver Island.
It was granted National Historic Site designation in 2006 and work to restore the operating room as a history museum has been ongoing.
The display of artifacts related to HamdiB次元官网网址檚 work will be displayed at the Royal Jubilee Hospital Patient Care CentreB次元官网网址檚 atrium throughout February.
