Michael Eliastam

CORRECTION, thank you to David Nathanson.

Second WMS 66 Webinar is Tuesday February 1, at 5:45PM SA Time (10:45AM EST).

My apologies for the confusing information.

Be well

Michael

Edward Gomperts

I will not be able to join the meeting on Tuesday as this is a direct clash with my clinical responsibilities, and as always, my patients are primary. I am certtain that all of you will not disagree with me on that one.I enjoyed the first video get-together, seeing as well as catching up, albeit too briefly, with colleagues that I spent three years with, as well as a few, with longer interactions. I am disappointed not to hear what John Gear has been doing over the past decades. He and I spent a  highly memorable BSc year together. Please send him my kindest regards.

Be well to all of you. Hopefully I will be able to catch the next video 'get together'.

Ed

Alan Reichman

 Hi Guys,

Always good to see the comments from all of you.

Unfortunately I will not be able to join the zoom as I will be at work but I look forward to seeing if any plans might ensue for a "live" get together in the near future. 

All the best,

Alan

John King

Dear Farouk,  I am so pleased to see your name and to read something of your life since last  seeing you. I have searched for your name every time a list has been published and have often wondered where you were and what had happened to & for you over the years. It was a great privilege to share with you around the same dissection table/cadaver for at least part of Second Year. Thank you!  I gained a lot from the association. Sadly our relationship was fairly superficial and I knew nothing of the struggles you were having (& would yet have) elswhere in your life. 

I'll not be able to join the webinar today, but pray it will all go well for you and the rest of our classmates, both today and always. Hopefully it will be recorded and made available.

PS.I endorse  David's and Michael's responses to your message.

David Nathanson

It was great to share some time on Zoom. Thanks to the two Mikes. I thought Covid was a great topic presented clearly by a well-versed virology expert (Dr Schoub).

I didn't realize how much John Gear had contributed  to SA Public Health - amazing achievement! It was great to see and hear him talk. 

It was nice to have Margaret and Mary address so sobering a topic as to whether those of us who left SA had actually improved our chances of living longer by moving away. I have for some time believed that the secret to my own longevity might be ascribed to better management of my teeth in the US (certainly better than I received from my dentist in Johannesburg), particularly when I learned about the relationship between tooth/gum disease and atherosclerotic heart disease (which took the lives at an early age of many on my father's side of the family). But then what about Otto who is three years older than I and lives in SA? Another amazing classmate! Is his apparent sturdy health associated with his cold water swimming, or because of his hardy personality? Or his genes? I guess a study like this would need a much larger cohort and there are probably many variables other than merely living in SA that might account for differences in survival.

Incidentally, I was impressed that David Lipschitz could tell we are all so healthy at this age - I could tell him a thing or two about me that might change his mind!

I remember the issue of suicide came up during our alumni re-union in Scottsdale, Arizona ten years ago. One of our classmates who lived in Ontario, Les Berman, a pulmonologist by training, was one of those. He and I shared a cousin in Witbank who told me the story of his suicide. I think Otto told us the tragic story of Lawrence Whitwam.

I'm so sorry to hear that Faroukh was not well today. I hope he gets better soon. It is certainly interesting to think back at our time in SA and reflect upon how many of us didn't really appreciate the difficulties of our non-white classmates in the Apartheid era. I remember just trying to graduate, commiting all those tens of thousands of facts to memory and not thinking too much about the social injustices of our society. Mind you, I was there almost every day during third year at the morgue in the grounds of the Johannesburg General Hospital when "Morbid Momsen' made sure Faroukh didn't sneak inside when there was a white cadaver for autopsy. I should have, we all should have, been appalled by just that behavior, but we did not say anything. My ancestors were killed, maimed, tortured, and discriminated against on religious grounds and my grandparents, Russian-speaking Lithuanians with limited education, used words and body language to implore us to lay low, to not upset the apple cart, to maintain the white privilege that they experienced and endorsed. Now I see myself in much the same privileged position because of the economic advantage I managed to attain because of my medical degree and decades of practice. Between you, me and the lamp-post, I see an awful lot of racial discrimination here in my neighborhood even when there are laws against that type of behavior. I wish we could all someday look deeper than the skin color to explore and experience the humanity of our fellow humans, no matter what their ethnic origins. 

Raymond Brown

I am sorry I could not take part in the discussion.  I was "there" with you and enjoyed the talks by Barry Schoub and John Gear.  Unfortunately my camera did not work and all I could see was my name in a black square, so assumed I wasn't visible.  Another well-run and very useful zoom session.  Thank you both Mikes.

Raymond

Desmond Fernandes

I enjoyed the Zoom so much but had to suddently drop at almost at the end.   Thanks to "Mikes"

Des Fernandes

David Nathanson

In my last post to the website I mentioned the suicide of Les Berman. I knew Les in Johannesburg. My cousin Phyllis (on my mother's side) is also his cousin (on his father's side). He played rugby for Marist Brothers in High School. He started medical school with us but graduated MBBCh in 1967 because he took a year off to do a BSc. He emigrated to Canada and practiced as a pulmonologist in Hamilton, Ontario. Imagine my dismay when Les Berman of Gauteng messaged me on our website after I posted my piece! He assured me he was alive and well. I'm an open-minded person, and I've certainly read about visits from a transpersonal realm, but this seemed very weird. Phyllis is a highly reliable and conscientious social worker in Johannesburg (still practicing at age 85) so her reporting of the suicide about twenty years ago seemed perfectly acceptable. I think there must be two Les Bermans. I responded privately to Les Berman in Gauteng. He likely graduated with us. 

Alan Richards

There were two Les Bermans. The one who graduated with us is still alive.

The other Les Berman started with us in first year. He was at Res with me. There were him, Saul Hellman and myself, who were the only 3 medics together with 147 engineers at Cottesloe Residence. As you said, he then did a Medical B.Sc. and fell behind us as a result.

In 1997 he called me in Joburg and said he was visiting, so we had a drink together. A few months later I emigrated to the USA. I then called him as he was living in Canada. His wife answered the phone. I asked to speak to him, but she said that would not be possible as he had died. She said he had committed suicide. I was flabbergasted. She said they were watching TV, and there was a report about the Catholic paedophile priests raping children.

She said Les crumpled in his chair and started crying. He then told her that she was the only poerson he had told, that he had been molested by priests at Marist Brothers College in Inanda, Joburg, whilst he was a schoolboy. A few days later he took his own life.

I still feel very sad about this, even though it is 24 years after I heard about it. Les and I were  both born in Standerton. Our parents klnew one another from then.

Justin Silver

Alan thank you so much for that sad and so important message. I too remember Les from Men's residence. So sad. I hope you and your family are well and thriving. 
Pam and I have been in Israel for 50 years and before that London. One son a sculptor in stone in London and two daughters in Israel. All with families and careers. 
Be well, Justin 
 

Andre Van As (Class Of 1960)

I shared with David Nathanson that Les Berman was my very first pulmonary trainee after I had eatablished a Pulmonary Division in my Department of Medicine at the JGS in 1973 - now Helen Joseph Hospital. We had a very modern approach and had a fully on-line pulmoary function lab wich included the measurement of static and dynamic lung vomes, gas diffusion, nitrogen washout curves and an exercise testing lab. We also instituted a broncoscopy lab with the latest Olympus fiber optic scopes wth a camera to document the lesions we found. At that time Olympus, and the literature, recommended intubation and passing the scope through the ET tube. We did not like that idea and while we were discussiong the options Les came out with an off-the-cuff brilliant idea. - "Why not put the scope in through the nose?" I had been trained in rigid bronchoscopy which required extensive topical analgesia. We applied that kind of rigor to the nose, paharynx and larynx as well as the trachea and had a patient that could remain fully awkae and not require sedation. Les also played an active role in running the PFT lab as well as the12 bed ICU that we initiated. I was to hear several years later that Les had died. I seem to remeber that it was in the late 70s  but wonder if David has more accurate information. Alan shared some very sad and informative detais which makes his passing all the more tragic. I never suspected that Les was either depressed or had some other emotional issues.

Heather Crewe-Brown

I have returned home from a trip to the Cape, so am catching up    Thank you to those who organised and participated in our "get together" last Tuesday. It was another excellent and memorable 55th anniversary celebratory meeting!  Barry Schoub and John Gear are indeed great assets to South Africa and beyond our borders.

I belong to an eleven member book club in Pretoria which selects publications mainly from newly released international and local fiction and non-fictional books. However, I would be interested in delving into the subject of medical experiences in the Apartheid era and would like to contribute to the proposed special book club.

I too am deeply saddened at the suicide committed by certain class members - such a tragic waste.. Perhaps we could pool our recollections and, if enough is known, write an "In Memory" summary in each case.

Michael Eliastam

Heather Crewe-Brown has made a wonderful suggestion, that we write an "in memory" paragraph for each of the three people who are reported to have taken their own lives.  We need three volunteers willing  to coordinate contributions of memories for each person.

Let me know if you are interested in coordinating one of these.

Be well

Michael Eliastam

John King

Sorry to all (Norman, Ryan, Rob, Michael x2, Alan and any others I may have missed) who are hoping for a response from me; hopefully I'll get around to it some time.  Judy & I have had a lot of health issues to live with/through these past few years, but by the Lord's grace we are coping relatively well in His strength.

For now, in this Season, a blessed Pesach to all my Jewish friends and colleagues. 

A blessed Easter weekend & Resurrection day celebration to all my gentile friends and colleagues who believe, too.

I am praying for you all!

Raymond Brown

A S.African colleague of mine in London (Ian Hay, previously Professor of Paediatrics at Medunsa) sent me the piece from the Daily Maverick yesterday about the appalling state of public medicine in his hospital in Johannesburg and the general run-down state throughout the country.  Thanks, Mike Eliastam, for sending the reference, which we should all read.  It is such a sad reflection of what is happening in SA.

We are so lucky to have left and thus have been spared what must be the most frustrating time for medical personnel there. We all benefited so much from having our medical training in Johannesburg in institutions that generally ran well. To hear about what has happened is just so sad.

Raymond Brown, UK

Benny Skudowitz

Those of us that remained made an enormous contribution to the welfare and wellbeing of all South Africans. I certainly have no regret for staying and am satisfied with a happy and successful career, despite enormous disadvantages.Those that continue today are heroes , very much like Eric Cohen who did so much in his dedicated career in Zimbabwe. Fulfilment and success  in medicine do not necessarily come from an easy passage . Bennie Skudowitz 

Michael Eliastam

I do not believe there is much to be gained by comparing the motives and merits of staying or leaving. For most of us, neither choice was simple. Each of us made significant trade-offs and now, 55 years later we can look back and decide if our decisions served us well.

What is clear is that the overall level of quality of care in the public hospitals has fallen significantly. I wish that our class could figure out how to be of assistance (other than giving money to the right people).

Be well

Michael

Michael Belman

Kudos to Skudowitz

and the other Remainers who contributed to the delivery of heatthcare in SA. Although I  was I think the first Leaver (January 13, 1967 - same plane as Basil Porter)) I have remained in contact with many of you and attended all but one of the reunions. Two weeks ago Lorna (BA 1966) and I attended a Wits Century Event held at UCLA. I don't know how many Alumni are in Los Angeles but the attendance seemed low with about 50 or so present. What I came away with (apart from a Wits 100 T shirt) was a great respect for those who stayed and especially for the Wits speakers at the meeting which included the current Vice Chancelor Zebulon Vilakazi. There was acknowledgement that there had been "wobbles" but the sincerity of the Wits leadership present and their optimism for the future was very apparent. I cannot say if this is misplaced or not but after the meeting I left with a renewed and very deep appreciation of the education I received and the value of that in my professional life. Of course there was also the friendships made over the course of the 6 years we spent together many of which have persisted to the present. So in the final analysis I do feel that one small way to repay Wits for the all I received is to contribute financially to the University. Some of you may have received E mails about the 100 year celebrations but if not you can contact Wits via annualfund@wits.ac.za for information on donations.

Regards

Mike B

Benny Skudowitz

I was not at all attempting a comparive analysis of decisions we all made many years ago, but merely commenting on the statement "we are so lucky to have left" which I considered to be both insensitive and insulting.

David Lipschitz

It seems a long time since I have much to say to my classmates. Soon after our last Zoom meeting I was diagnosed with Covid that was minor. A few weeks later developed rigors, a high fever and was admitted to hospital for two days. A large consolidation was noted in the left lower lobe of my left lung which was thought to be either recurrent cancer, an adverse effect of the therapy for renal cell cancer or a pneumonia. After a worrisome 6 weeks it turns out to have been pneumonia, perhaps related to Covid. Was I relieved. Since then developed severe side effect from the oral immuntherapeutic agent that included malignant hypertension, severe glossitis and mucositis, severe diarrhea, worsening fatigue and a 4 day period where I lost the function of my right leg. The latter most likely is caused by severe spinal stenosis. And since stopping the oral med (Inlyta) I feel like a new person. 

The purpose of this post was to offer my thoughts about those who stayed and those of us who elected to leave South Africa.. Some time ago I wrote a message honoring and saluting Faouk Dindar and what I said then summarizes my thoughts about leaving.  Here is the message to Farouk again. I have highlighted in bold my thoughts about leaving. In summary I  have deep regrets about leaving even though I would never have had the opportunities in South Africa that were affored to me in the United States. In summary I now view myself as a taker who took and took as much as I could be feed my ambition and carreer but have in turn given very little back. 

A SALUTE TO DR. DINDAR

Dear Dr, Dindar, I address you by your last name as a measure of my high regard and deep respect for you. Am sure you don’t mind that I use your first name from now on. The history of your life as a medical student and physician in Southern Africa was an absolute inspiration for me and my family. Your life in South Africa was full of insults, severe racism, and the threat of physical violence. As one of the few people of color you are a true pioneer, and your commitment to actively enter the struggle against sinister and criminal overt racism makes you one of the true heroes of our class. It is so sad that you were forced to leave.  

Your story filled me with a sense of regret as I compared my life to yours. I grew up as a Jewish white South African with a silver spoon in my mouth. Even as a Jew I experienced no discrimination during my time as a medical student and physician in South Africa. Thank goodness I was the son of an immigrant whose only passionate demand was that I work hard to achieve through education the kind of opportunity that he never had access to. My father always said "I want my son to be a doctor". It is this demand that led me to work extremely hard and to take advantage of the opportunities made available to me.  Both in South Africa and in America I took and took and took but gave little back.

And yet in my twilight years I deeply regret not giving more back.  I describe myself as a taker, Farouk you on the other hand are a giver. And now in my old age I envy you and wish that I had given back to South Africa, had participated in the struggle against Apartheid and most importantly that I had known you better and supported you more.

The same regret exists about my naiveté in regard to America’s problems that only became apparent to me with the rise of Donald Trump and the death of George Floyd.  Sinister and reprehensible racism that has reared its ugly head in America and systemic racism has become mainstream and threatens opportunities and risk of violence among people of color. Once again, I have done nothing but sit in an armchair and as a token of my guilt given money to the causes, I am passionate about.

Farouk this little note is to honor you specifically but also to salute others who have stayed in South Africa and have diligently given back to make South Africa a better place.  

Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi

Thank you so much for raising these very good points and for sharing that article. Some of my own reflections below:

1. There are issues with the public health system, which our doctors are raising in the public domain.
2. Wits staff and students are doing their best amidst dire conditions to serve patients and to provide good clinical training and care.
3. Wits management is engaging with the Department of Health at both the provincial and national level. An MoA is being put together which will ensure better collaboration and communication between the entities.
4. Wits remains the one entity that can bring hope in SA: to the public healthcare system, in bringing the private, public and academic sectors together, ultimately for the benefits of patients in SA
5. In fact the Vice-Chancellor last week released the following response to the Daily Maverick article:

“Wits University’s training platforms extend across several public hospitals and dozens of clinics in Gauteng. The functioning of the public healthcare system is linked to, and integral to the training of healthcare professionals and specialists – from nurses to neurosurgeons – and it is important that we get these healthcare systems to function effectively as soon as possible, to serve the people of Gauteng. Thousands of (Wits DOH) joint staff and registrars work in major hospitals like the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, and the Helen Joseph Hospital, where they service thousands of beds every day.

These dedicated healthcare professionals form the backbone of Gauteng’s public health system, and without them, there is no doubt that the system will crumble. We need to ensure that these issues are resolved as soon as possible, so that the burdens are lifted from healthcare professionals, and more importantly so that patients receive the necessary care and treatment. To this end, both the Chairperson of the Wits Council and I are working closely with the Premier and provincial leadership, including the CEO of the CHBAH, and we are on the cusp of signing a Memorandum of Agreement which I hope will go a long way towards ensuring better collaboration and communication between the various entities. However, these agreements are only useful if they are properly implemented, which is where we need to be vigilant.”

6. One of our centenary focus areas is the Wits Vision for Bara: we are looking to bring our global resources to the service of this beloved Wits-related institution where so many of you have trained. I will be working with the Wits Fund board here in the US – in particular Dr Martin Colman, a member of that board – to bring news of this Vision for Bara project to all the Wits medical graduates in the US. And, most importantly, to ask for your most valued advice and expertise in setting up the various projects – which will include a diverse set of interventions such as an oncology centre, a burns unit, digitization, and paediatric surgery.
7. Please watch this space, we will be sure to continue to update you. As always, your feedback and comments are most welcome.

Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi
US Representative
Wits University
+1-425-344-7069
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nooshinerfani
www.wits.ac.za

Martin First (First)

I agree with all the sentiments expressed by Benny. This is not an issue of we vs. them, but about a great group of colleagues who graduated together.

John King

John King greeting:

"Chag Shavuot Sameach" to my Jewish friends & colleagues

"A joyful Holy Spirit filled Pentecost"  to  my believing Christian friends & colleagues

May the Lord bless you all, including those who do not yet believe!

John King

Dear David Lipschitz

I am very sorry to read that you have been having even more health issues than you previously mentioned, but relieved to know that it was "only" post-Covid pneumonia!  You have certainly had a very rough time of it!  I admire your resilience, fortitude and attitude, and pray that you will make a full recovery and that the LORD will permanently heal the cancer as well as the spinal stenosis and everything else that is troubling you.  Shalom :)

Sincerely, John King

Heather Crewe-Brown

Thank you for your warm greetings John King and your concern about David Lipschitz.

I echo your statements.