In memoriam Dr. Aldo R. Castañeda

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Castaneda in memorium

Dr. Aldo R. Castañeda
July 17, 1930 – April 30, 2021

We announce with sorrow the passing of the Apollonian surgeon, Aldo R. Castañeda. On behalf of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, we express our profound gratitude for having blazed the trail for your students and colleagues and helped the lives of so many children around the world! We present our sincere condolences to his wife, Arcely, his children, Claudia, Silvana and Aldo and to all grieving this loss.

Farewell and Godspeed, dear teacher and esteemed colleague!

— WSPCHS Governing Council

We have unlocked the full interview we did with Dr. Castaneda in 2010. You can watch it here.

In memoriam Dr. William I. Norwood

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Bill Norwood
April 21, 1941 – Dec 13, 2020

bill norwood

It is with sadness that we announce the passing on December 13, of the legendary surgeon, Bill Norwood. On behalf of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, we thank you Bill for your immense contributions, Farewell, and Godspeed!

WSPCHS Governing Council


Below is a heartfelt message from his colleague and close friend, Marshall Jacobs.

“I write to let you know that Bill Norwood passed away on the evening of December 13, 2020.

Bill and Jodee moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico about three years ago.

Having spent part of his youth in Los Alamos (just 60 miles from Albuquerque), Bill was drawn to the area. He and Jodee loved the geography and the climate in the semi-desert foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Fortunately, they have been visited often by close friends and family.

Bill's passing leaves a tremendous void, in a space occupied for nearly eight decades by one of the true giants in the field of surgery, and a great friend and very special mentor to so many of us.
Isaac Newton is quoted as saying: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants."

Bill was truly a giant in this respect. His genius, his determination, his skill and his generosity have touched so many of us. And individuals in all parts of the world who are engaged in the care of patients with congenital heart disease have "seen further" and been more effective in their work because of Bill's enormous and countless contributions.

Thank you Bill...thank you and farewell!”

Dr. Marshall Jacobs


Message from the President

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I am honored and privileged to have been elected as your President. I cannot be but very proud of what this thriving society has achieved in such a short time. We have had many excellent scientific meetings around the globe covering a wide range of topics. Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World University was established and already held a very successful first webinar. The World Database is growing. The Global Council on Education for Congenital Heart Surgery has conducted multiple town hall meetings and is preparing a very important manuscript. The World Journal, the only journal dedicated to Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, under the leadership of Marshall Jacobs, has taken significant strides establishing itself as one of the leading journals in our specialty. With the World Society’s help and guidance, the African Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery was recently established.

This would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts and dedication of our 1st President and now Executive Director, Christo Tchervenkov, working together with our past presidents, the Executive Committee and the Governing Council making the World Society one of a kind. I express my sincere thanks to all of you, to Christo, to our other ex-presidents, Giovanni Stellin, Hiromi Kurosawa, Richard Jonas and Marcelo Jatene and promise to carry on their legacy. Special thanks to Marshall Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief and to Adam Becker, our Manager.

I am grateful for the tremendous opportunity and for your support. I look forward to serving with enthusiasm to ensure a great future and continued success of our society and for our patients! Sincerely,

alhalees

Zohair Y. Al Halees, MD, MSC, FACC, FRCSC, FACS

President, World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery
Chairman, Governing Council & Executive Committee

Advisor of Cardiovascular Services to the CEO
Distinguished Senior Cardiac Surgeon / Consultant, Heart Centre
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The World University for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery

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World University for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery

wupchslogo 160x160

In order to pursue its educational mission, the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery announces the establishment of the World University for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery in collaboration and partnership between the following international organizations:

African Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery
Asian Association for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery
Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society
European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association
Sociedad Latina de Cardiología y Cirurgía Cardiovascular Pediátrica
World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery

COVID-19: Crisis Management in Congenital Heart Surgery

on . Posted in Latest News

In these difficult times we wish you and your families health and the strength to get through this terrible pandemic in your respective countries. Please be safe and follow the recommendations from your health authorities and governments to avoid, limit and mitigate the effects of the spread of COVID-19!
 
The WSPCHS Leadership is carefully monitoring the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect around the world, as well as the policies set by institutions and countries. We are concerned about the possible effects on the health of our members, families and patients. We are also concerned about how the pandemic and travel restrictions will impact the ability to hold the 7th Scientific Meeting of the World Society in partnership with the Pediatric Cardiac Society of India, scheduled for September 17-20, 2020 in New Delhi, India.
 
The Organizing Committee led by Sachin Talwar, Rajesh Sharma and Krishna Iyer, have been working hard to prepare what promises to be another outstanding meeting. The theme of the Scientific Program “Late presentation and remaining challenges in the treatment of congenital heart disease around the world” is really timely in helping with the rapid progress going on in the world.
 
Although we hope that the meeting will take place as planned, we also remain realistic. In the coming weeks, the unfolding situation will be assessed and any decision about the meeting will be promptly communicated.
 
In the meantime, we would like to bring to your attention a manuscript by Joseph Dearani and Associates entitled "COVID-19: Crisis Management in Congenital Heart Surgerythat has been posted on the websites of the WSPCHS, ECHSA and the CHSS. This important manuscript has been accepted for simultaneous publication in the World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
 
We send you our best wishes for health and safety,

Marcelo B. Jatene
President
Sao Paulo, Brazil
 
Christo I. Tchervenkov
Executive Director & Founding President
Montreal, Canada

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