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Tribute to William H. Kirkaldy-Willis
(1914-2006) |
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On May 7, 2006
William H. Kirkaldy-Willis, MA, MD, FRCS (E), FRCS
(C), FACS, FICC (hon). known to his friends, family, and
colleagues as "K-W", died
in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. His death has
brought an end to an important chapter in the
development of spine
care in North America as well as the rest of the world. |
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K-W was a native of Kingston, Surrey and
Dover, Kent England. He attended high school at
Marlborough College, Wiltshire, and did his pre-medical study at Cambridge
University. He attended medical school at the Royal London
Hospital, Whitechapel, London and took his postgraduate
education at the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and the
King George 6th Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1965 K-W
began his 23 year association with the University Hospital in Saskatoon,
Canada where he became Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Head of
the Department in 1967. K-W was President of the East
African Association of Surgeons (1959-1960), President of the
Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society (1971-1972), President of
the International Society for Study of the Lumbar Spine
(1982-1983), President of the North American Spine Society
(1986-1987) and President of the American Back Society
(1988-1991). |
| K-W's name has become synonymous with the "degenerative
cascade." His many publications on pathology and
pathogenesis of lumbar spondylosis and stenosis, instability of
the lumbar spine, causes of failure of spine surgery and lateral
spinal nerve entrapment have all become classics in the field of
spine care. He has been one of the very few spine surgeons
who recognized, at the very beginning, the important role of
exercise in maintaining a healthy spine. |
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Few of K-Ws colleagues knew of his great
artistic abilities which served him well as an escape from stresses
of clinical care. He was a prolific painter
specializing in pastoral and peaceful scenes. He
enjoyed gardening and was especially proud of his home
brewed beer. |
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K-W is survived by his wife Betty and son Iain.
Betty, in her own right, has been a pioneer in spine
care in initiating one of the first Low Back Schools in
North America. Although K-W's mind remained sharp
and inquiring during his retirement his body was not
able to keep up the pace and it became evident to those
close to him that
he was ready to move on with the comfort of knowing
that he had accomplished many of the goals he had set
out for himself. |
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It has been my very great good fortune to
have had K-W as a mentor, colleague, co-researcher,
co-author, and most importantly as a very good friend for
many years. He has been an inspiration to many of
us and
his passing has left a unique void. His
effervescent wit and sense of humor are already missed.
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Charles V. Burton, M.D. |
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