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Robert Malcolm McFarlane May 28, 1927–February 27, 2006
In Memoriam Robert Malcolm McFarlane May 28, 1927–February 27, 2006
Robert Malcolm McFarlane was born in London, Ontario on May 28, 1927. He died at his home in London on February 27, 2006. His life was filled with many admirable accomplishments; he was an outstanding athlete, brilliant surgeon, and distinguished scholar. He was educated at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, graduating from the medical school in 1951. In addition to compiling a stellar academic record, he also excelled athletically in both football and track. He was a rugged half-back and place-kicker for the University of Western Ontario Mustangs. In 1948, he competed in the Summer Olympic Games, serving as the flag bearer for the Canadian team. He interned at the Montreal General Hospital, returning to London for a general surgery residency; he subsequently received plastic surgery training in 1238
The Journal of Hand Surgery
London (England), Leeds, and Chicago. He returned to the University of Western Ontario in 1959 and established the Division of Plastic Surgery, which became one of the leading plastic surgery programs in Canada. In 1992, he was instrumental in establishing the Hand and Upper Limb Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, a combined plastic and orthopaedic surgery unit which is the largest of its kind in Canada. It is a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence for upper limb patient care, teaching, and research. He was a popular and much sought after speaker at major hand meetings world-wide. He served as president of the Canadian Society for Surgery of the Hand, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. In 1998, he received the Pioneer
1239
Award from the IFSSH in recognition for his life long dedication and many contributions to hand surgery. Throughout his career, he maintained a research interest that established him as a leading expert in Dupuytren’s disease. In classic publications, he changed the perception of Dupuytren’s disease by demonstrating that the disease followed anatomical structural patterns and was not an amorphous fibromatosis. His research stimulated basic scientists to investigate the biology of the disease process, and served as the basis for present day treatment of this condition. He gave compassionate care to his patients and set very high standards for himself and those he trained. He was respected and loved by his patients, his
students, and his hand surgery colleagues throughout the world. On a personal note, he was one of the early Hand Society contacts I had as a young hand surgeon. Like many others who were fortunate enough to know him, I was immediately taken by his warmth, wisdom, personal interest in me as an individual . . . and his ever present bow tie. As Editor, I frequently solicited his reviews and comments as a Consultant Reviewer for articles on Dupuytren’s disease. He was always willing to do them, and he did them well. As with everything else he came in contact, he regularly raised the quality of the submitted work. Paul Manske doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2006.06.013
Robert Malcolm McFarlane was born in London, Ontario on May 28, 1927. He died at his home in London on February 27, 2006. His life was filled with many admirable accomplishments; he was an outstanding athlete, brilliant surgeon, and distinguished scholar. He was educated at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, graduating from the medical school in 1951. In addition to compiling a stellar academic record, he also excelled athletically in both football and track. He was a rugged half-back and place-kicker for the University of Western Ontario Mustangs. In 1948, he competed in the Summer Olympic Games, serving as the flag bearer for the Canadian team. He interned at the Montreal General Hospital, returning to London for a general surgery residency; he subsequently received plastic surgery training in 1238
The Journal of Hand Surgery
London (England), Leeds, and Chicago. He returned to the University of Western Ontario in 1959 and established the Division of Plastic Surgery, which became one of the leading plastic surgery programs in Canada. In 1992, he was instrumental in establishing the Hand and Upper Limb Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, a combined plastic and orthopaedic surgery unit which is the largest of its kind in Canada. It is a nationally and internationally recognized center of excellence for upper limb patient care, teaching, and research. He was a popular and much sought after speaker at major hand meetings world-wide. He served as president of the Canadian Society for Surgery of the Hand, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. In 1998, he received the Pioneer
1239
Award from the IFSSH in recognition for his life long dedication and many contributions to hand surgery. Throughout his career, he maintained a research interest that established him as a leading expert in Dupuytren’s disease. In classic publications, he changed the perception of Dupuytren’s disease by demonstrating that the disease followed anatomical structural patterns and was not an amorphous fibromatosis. His research stimulated basic scientists to investigate the biology of the disease process, and served as the basis for present day treatment of this condition. He gave compassionate care to his patients and set very high standards for himself and those he trained. He was respected and loved by his patients, his
students, and his hand surgery colleagues throughout the world. On a personal note, he was one of the early Hand Society contacts I had as a young hand surgeon. Like many others who were fortunate enough to know him, I was immediately taken by his warmth, wisdom, personal interest in me as an individual . . . and his ever present bow tie. As Editor, I frequently solicited his reviews and comments as a Consultant Reviewer for articles on Dupuytren’s disease. He was always willing to do them, and he did them well. As with everything else he came in contact, he regularly raised the quality of the submitted work. Paul Manske doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2006.06.013