Dr. Michael DeBakey, Medical Pioneer, Honored

The John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science acknowledged Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, Baylor College of Medicine Chancellor Emeritus and director of The Methodist DeBakey Heart Center, with a private reception where friends, colleagues and admirers gathered to pay homage to Dr. Debakey May 6.

The reception highlighted the exhibit, "Dr. Michael E. DeBakey – Surgeon, Educator and Medical Statesman," which chronicled more than 50 years of Dr. DeBakey’s work, research, medical innovations, surgical breakthroughs and cutting-edge inventions such as part of the Heart Lung Machine, which has revolutionized the process of open-heart surgery.

Dr. Clarence P. Alfrey, McGovern Museum trustee and chairman of the museum’s development board, emceed the event and the keynote speech was given by Kaye Stripling, Houston Independent School District superintendent. Stripling highlighted the importance of education and the recently established DeBakey Health Scholars program.

"We’re expanding the minds of children and the ‘what ifs’ by getting them interested in science and technology," she said. "Trips to the museum create long-lasting relationships between the museum and the district."

Through the DeBakey Health Scholars program, 16,000 fifth-graders in the district will participate in field trips, each child receiving a DeBakey Health Scholar bookmark. A certificate of completion will also be presented to classroom teachers recognizing their visit and participation in the program.

Dr. DeBakey believes this is an important program, because "it provides kids availability to education and exposure that they wouldn’t normally get, and the museum is an important part of the educational process."

Named after him are the "Michael E. DeBakey Learning Centers" that serve as classrooms for school groups and space for traveling exhibitions and special museum events.

Adding to the evening’s festivities was a surprise appearance by Dr. and Mrs. Donald Lindberg. Dr. Lindberg is the director of the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Md. and a long-time friend of Dr. DeBakey.

"Dr. DeBakey has been a pioneer and inspiration to all of us and has always been on the forefront of providing cutting-edge health information to the community. Dr. DeBakey’s contribution to the Texas Medical Center and Houston is legendary," he said. "But tonight we honor his vision of providing education and health information to kids who come to the museum for an understanding and motivation that a ‘point-click’ can’t provide."

Dr. DeBakey closed the evening with thanks, especially for Dr. Lindberg’s National Library of Medicine endeavors.

"The National Library of Medicine has become an international resource for the medical sciences," Dr. DeBakey said. "The library, like the museum, is a great educational source, and I’m very proud to be associated with it."

Dr. DeBakey is also a member of the some of most distinguished medical societies – most of which he served as president. His lifelong scholarship is reflected in more than 1,500 medical articles, chapters and books he has published on various aspects of surgery, medicine, health, research and medical education, as well as socioeconomic and philosophic discussion in these fields. He has received more than 50 honorary degrees from colleges and universities and several awards from professional, educational and civic organizations throughout the world including the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction from President Lyndon B. Johnson and the National Medal of Science from President Ronald Reagan. Dr. DeBakey is also founder of the DeBakey Medical Foundation.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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