Dr. Victor Chang: who was he and why does Google honor him in its doodle?

This Tuesday the doodle of the wanted man appeared with the image of this Chinese-Australian surgeon, who would turn 87 years old.

This Tuesday, November 21, doodle the Google It woke up different than usual because it showed a gif of the Chinese-Australian surgeon Dr. Victor Chang, who today would turn 87 years old. I know who he is.

Dr. Chang is remembered as a humanitarian and pioneer of cardiac and transplant surgery. One of his most impactful contributions to medicine was the development of the Saint Vincent artificial heart valve, which was significantly cheaper than previous models, making it globally accessible for use in life-saving procedures.

At a young age, his mother developed breast cancer, which led to Dr. Chang’s connection and interest in the field of medicine. He studied medicine and surgery at the University of Sydney, before beginning his residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital and working in various hospitals around the world. He returned to Australia in 1972 and became a cardiothoracic surgeon at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.

One of his most impactful contributions to medicine was the development of the St. Vincent artificial heart valve. It was significantly cheaper than previous models, making it globally accessible for use in life-saving procedures.

Dr Chang also performed a successful heart transplant on the youngest Australian patient, Fiona Coote, in 1984, when she was just 14 years old. She received a second heart transplant two years later and today Fiona is the longest surviving heart transplant recipient in Australia.

As a testament to the impact his medical advances had, Dr Chang was voted Australian of the Century at the People’s Choice Awards in 1999 and received Australia’s highest honor in 1986 – the Companion of the Order of Australia.

Dr. Chang was passionate about sharing knowledge and skills to improve global healthcare. He created the Victor Chang Foundation in 1984. The Foundation provides grants to educate South East Asian surgeons with a view to bringing them to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney for training in advanced cardiac surgery, particularly heart transplants. Grants are also awarded to programs that explore innovation in cardiac surgery.

In 1994, the Research Institute was founded and named after him to honor his legacy and remains dedicated to finding cures, prevention and diagnostic tools for cardiovascular diseases. Through these organizations, medical advances continue to advance and save lives.

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