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OCT-DEC 2016 GREAT GREEKS ABROAD
GEORGE VELMAHOS
Making the Impossible Possible
THE TOP PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL SPEAKS TO 2BOARD ABOUT DREAMS, HIS ACTION AND
ABOUT GREECE. | Ο ΚΟΡΥΦΑΊΟΣ ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΉΣ ΧΕΙΡΟΥΡΓΙΚΉΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΉΜΙΟ ΤΟΥ ΧΆΡΒΑΡΝΤ ΜΙΛΆΕΙ ΣΤΟ 2BOARD ΓΙΑ
ΤΑ ΌΝΕΙΡΑ, ΤΗ ΔΡΆΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΆΔΑ. Interview by Ira Sinigalia
With origins from Kalamata, Dr. George Velmahos is ing. What priorities should be taken in order to for the first time became informed of the horrible
also the Division Chief of Trauma, Emergency Sur- relieve the injured? details of the event.
gery and Surgical Critical Care at the Massachusetts When many casualties occur, the priority changes And what did you learn from this tragic event?
General Hospital in Boston. In fact, he is one of the from saving one person to saving as many as pos- I learned the importance of preparation and collab-
tireless doctors who helped save many lives following sible. So, the resources are shifted to those with the oration. We had performed numerous exercises
the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon in 2013. | highest likelihood to be saved. This is extremely dif- and drills to be prepared for such an event. When
Με καταγωγή από την Καλαμάτα, ο καθηγητής Γιώργος ficult for health care providers to do. We are focused it came, we were ready. And we collaborated with
Βέλμαχος, επίσης, είναι επικεφαλής του Κέντρου on giving everything we have to save every life. In each other perfectly. Different specialties, different
Τραύματος και Επείγουσας Χειρουργικής στο Γενικό a limited resource environment, one may need to disciplines, all together in a harmonious and pre-
Νοσοκομείο της Μασαχουσέτης στη Βοστόνη. Μάλιστα, ignore those with a low likelihood to survive in or- cisely orchestrated collaborative act.
συγκαταλέγεται στους ακούραστους γιατρούς, που der to save as many of those who have a chance to What are the next big challenges in Trauma Surgery?
έσωσαν πλήθος ζωές μετά την τρομοκρατική επίθεση make it. Luckily, the resources are unlimited in the Funding! Trauma Surgery is expensive. The up-
στο Μαραθώνιο της Βοστόνης το 2013. developed world and we rarely come to this aw- front resources needed to treat a person with se-
ful dilemma but in the war-torn regions of the de- vere injuries are humungous. Nobody is prepared
Five words that describe you. veloping world, doctors and nurses have to make for it. Rich and poor are at risk of being injured
A dreamer of the impossible. these tough choices. and should be treated by the exact same way. The
Why did you choose Trauma Surgery? What was the very first thing you did right after state should understand that a trauma patient who
Because this is where the impossible becomes the terror attack in Boston Marathon? recovers, can return to a fully productive life and,
possible; where death is defeated and life prevails; I directed the flow of the most urgent patients to therefore, generate back the cost of treatment in-
where decisions are fast, actions are irreversible, and the operating room. Then, I operated in one room, vested in him/her. So, the state should be ready to
commitment is key. The trauma surgeon is fearless while the other members of my Trauma Team were make this initial investment with the assistance of
but humble, confident but wise, focused but inclu- doing the same in other rooms. At the beginning the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
sive. He or she is the head of the arrow in a well- we had little understanding of what had happened. How would you contribute in the treatment of
lubed machine, which is called the Trauma Team. We were trying to control bleeding and save lives. trauma in Greece?
Mass casualty events are continuously increas- It was deep into the night when we finished. And In small ways by offering consultative services, op-
erating on actual patients, and making myself avail-
able for whatever is requested of me in this field. In
greater ways by helping create a Νational Τrauma
System, which is so direly needed in Greece.
Do you feel nostalgy for Greece? Do you remem-
ber anything in particular?
I am not nostalgic because even if I left many years
ago, Greece has never left from my heart and my
mind. The salty smell of the sea fills my nostrils, the
sound of the calm waves rings in my ears, the col-
ours white and blue shine on my eyes. Every day!
Πέντε λέξεις που σας περιγράφουν.
Ένας οραματιστής για το αδύνατο.
Τι σας ώθησε να επιλέξετε τον τομέα της Χειρουρ-
γικής Τραύματος;
Επειδή εδώ το ανέφικτο γίνεται εφικτό. Εδώ ο θάνα-
τος ηττάται και η ζωή κερδίζει. Οι αποφάσεις είναι
άμεσες, οι πράξεις μη αναστρέψιμες και η αφοσί-
ωση το κλειδί. O χειρουργός τραύματος είναι ατρό-
μητος, πλην όμως ταπεινός, έχει αυτοπεποίθηση,
αλλά και σοφία, είναι εστιασμένος και συγχρόνως
έχει ανοιχτούς ορίζοντες. Αυτός ή αυτή που ασκεί τη
82
GEORGE VELMAHOS
Making the Impossible Possible
THE TOP PROFESSOR OF SURGERY AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL SPEAKS TO 2BOARD ABOUT DREAMS, HIS ACTION AND
ABOUT GREECE. | Ο ΚΟΡΥΦΑΊΟΣ ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΉΣ ΧΕΙΡΟΥΡΓΙΚΉΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΉΜΙΟ ΤΟΥ ΧΆΡΒΑΡΝΤ ΜΙΛΆΕΙ ΣΤΟ 2BOARD ΓΙΑ
ΤΑ ΌΝΕΙΡΑ, ΤΗ ΔΡΆΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΆΔΑ. Interview by Ira Sinigalia
With origins from Kalamata, Dr. George Velmahos is ing. What priorities should be taken in order to for the first time became informed of the horrible
also the Division Chief of Trauma, Emergency Sur- relieve the injured? details of the event.
gery and Surgical Critical Care at the Massachusetts When many casualties occur, the priority changes And what did you learn from this tragic event?
General Hospital in Boston. In fact, he is one of the from saving one person to saving as many as pos- I learned the importance of preparation and collab-
tireless doctors who helped save many lives following sible. So, the resources are shifted to those with the oration. We had performed numerous exercises
the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon in 2013. | highest likelihood to be saved. This is extremely dif- and drills to be prepared for such an event. When
Με καταγωγή από την Καλαμάτα, ο καθηγητής Γιώργος ficult for health care providers to do. We are focused it came, we were ready. And we collaborated with
Βέλμαχος, επίσης, είναι επικεφαλής του Κέντρου on giving everything we have to save every life. In each other perfectly. Different specialties, different
Τραύματος και Επείγουσας Χειρουργικής στο Γενικό a limited resource environment, one may need to disciplines, all together in a harmonious and pre-
Νοσοκομείο της Μασαχουσέτης στη Βοστόνη. Μάλιστα, ignore those with a low likelihood to survive in or- cisely orchestrated collaborative act.
συγκαταλέγεται στους ακούραστους γιατρούς, που der to save as many of those who have a chance to What are the next big challenges in Trauma Surgery?
έσωσαν πλήθος ζωές μετά την τρομοκρατική επίθεση make it. Luckily, the resources are unlimited in the Funding! Trauma Surgery is expensive. The up-
στο Μαραθώνιο της Βοστόνης το 2013. developed world and we rarely come to this aw- front resources needed to treat a person with se-
ful dilemma but in the war-torn regions of the de- vere injuries are humungous. Nobody is prepared
Five words that describe you. veloping world, doctors and nurses have to make for it. Rich and poor are at risk of being injured
A dreamer of the impossible. these tough choices. and should be treated by the exact same way. The
Why did you choose Trauma Surgery? What was the very first thing you did right after state should understand that a trauma patient who
Because this is where the impossible becomes the terror attack in Boston Marathon? recovers, can return to a fully productive life and,
possible; where death is defeated and life prevails; I directed the flow of the most urgent patients to therefore, generate back the cost of treatment in-
where decisions are fast, actions are irreversible, and the operating room. Then, I operated in one room, vested in him/her. So, the state should be ready to
commitment is key. The trauma surgeon is fearless while the other members of my Trauma Team were make this initial investment with the assistance of
but humble, confident but wise, focused but inclu- doing the same in other rooms. At the beginning the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
sive. He or she is the head of the arrow in a well- we had little understanding of what had happened. How would you contribute in the treatment of
lubed machine, which is called the Trauma Team. We were trying to control bleeding and save lives. trauma in Greece?
Mass casualty events are continuously increas- It was deep into the night when we finished. And In small ways by offering consultative services, op-
erating on actual patients, and making myself avail-
able for whatever is requested of me in this field. In
greater ways by helping create a Νational Τrauma
System, which is so direly needed in Greece.
Do you feel nostalgy for Greece? Do you remem-
ber anything in particular?
I am not nostalgic because even if I left many years
ago, Greece has never left from my heart and my
mind. The salty smell of the sea fills my nostrils, the
sound of the calm waves rings in my ears, the col-
ours white and blue shine on my eyes. Every day!
Πέντε λέξεις που σας περιγράφουν.
Ένας οραματιστής για το αδύνατο.
Τι σας ώθησε να επιλέξετε τον τομέα της Χειρουρ-
γικής Τραύματος;
Επειδή εδώ το ανέφικτο γίνεται εφικτό. Εδώ ο θάνα-
τος ηττάται και η ζωή κερδίζει. Οι αποφάσεις είναι
άμεσες, οι πράξεις μη αναστρέψιμες και η αφοσί-
ωση το κλειδί. O χειρουργός τραύματος είναι ατρό-
μητος, πλην όμως ταπεινός, έχει αυτοπεποίθηση,
αλλά και σοφία, είναι εστιασμένος και συγχρόνως
έχει ανοιχτούς ορίζοντες. Αυτός ή αυτή που ασκεί τη
82
