In memoriam: Dr. Apostolos Papageorgiou
Dr. Papageorgiou led the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology for 47 distinguished years
The leaders and staff of the Jewish General Hospital are saddened by the passing on July 1 of Dr. Apostolos Papageorgiou, 88, an internationally renowned medical specialist who served as Chief of the Department of Neonatology from 1974 to 2021—a role that was expanded in 1986 to include pediatrics.
Dr. Papageorgiou gained recognition for his key involvement in developing the means to save the lives of numerous premature and extremely low birth‑weight infants, who went on to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
Many of them, along with their parents, later returned to the hospital as older children or teenagers to express their gratitude in person—visits that touched and genuinely delighted Dr. Papageorgiou.
In 2016, Dr. Apostolos Papageorgiou (centre, behind incubator) helped supervise the move of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to Pavilion K. (Click on this photo to enlarge it.)
In one celebrated case in 2012, he helped save the life of a tiny girl—the smallest preemie in born Canada up to that point—who weighed just 375 grams (about ⅘ of a pound) when she was delivered at the JGH.
In addition, in an interview in JGH News around the time of his retirement in 2021, Dr. Papageorgiou noted with pride that he had been on teams that had saved two other infants who weighed less than 400 grams (just under one pound) at birth.
Dr. Papageorgiou earned the praise and respect of his patients (when they grew older), their parents and members of staff for his gentleness, soft-spoken demeanour and lively sense of humour. But whenever a baby was in crisis, he became highly focused and demonstrated steely determination.
Dr. Lajos Kovacs, Chief of Pediatrics and Neonatology, remembers being a medical student 40 years ago when he met Dr. Papageorgiou for the first time. “I was immediately captivated by his dynamic and interactive teaching style.
“He pushed us hard to apply basic physiology to this unique set of little patients, nudging us to come up with the answers to his questions, even though we had no previous experience.
“He was so passionate about teaching and provided such a positive learning environment. To this day, my own interactions with trainees are very much inspired by these early experiences.
“Five years ago, when Dr. Papageorgiou chose to step down as Chief of the Department and the reins were passed to me, I asked him what I needed to know, imagining that I was going to receive a detailed instruction manual.
“His answer was brief and eye-opening: ‘You already know what to do. Please take care of the place.’ It was at that point that I realized he had been preparing me for this role all along and was now trusting me to continue the legacy.”
In 1973, Dr. Papageorgiou thought he had his future all mapped out: Having earned his medical degree at Sorbonne University in Paris and trained in Montreal in pediatrics and neonatology, the young specialist planned to spend a year at the JGH before returning to practice in his native Greece.
But then life took an unexpected turn. When the year was up, the JGH invited him to become Chief of Neonatology, so he decided to stay a while longer … then years longer … then decades. What had begun as a relatively brief stopover eventually became a life-long career.
“When I was asked to stay, neonatal intensive care was being reorganized across Quebec, and I wanted to help the Jewish General evolve into an important centre of care,” Dr. Papageorgiou explained in 2021.
Remembering Dr. Apostolos Pagageorgiou
Chloé Décarie-Drolet, Head Nurse of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit:
“A visionary builder, Dr. Papageorgiou played a defining role in the evolution of neonatal care, both within the hospital and across Quebec.
“He helped transform the unit from a small service with only a few incubators into a recognized Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, supporting its growth through to its move to Pavilion K. Our unit, as it exists today, is largely the result of his vision, leadership and perseverance.
“His dedication to teaching also shaped generations of healthcare professionals, as reflected in the recognition he received from students and colleagues over the years.
“I had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Papageorgiou and benefiting from his rigour, intellectual generosity and deep humanity. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that will continue to guide our practice and inspire our commitment to newborns and their families.”
As one of the world’s leading neonatologists, Dr. Papageorgiou visited more than 50 countries and delivered more than 500 international lectures.
Also significant was his landmark study—published in 1979 in the prestigious journal, Pediatrics—which found that administering steroids to a pregnant woman increases the chances of the fetus’s survival by accelerating the maturation of the baby’s lungs.
Similarly, after the birth, if the premature infant is given hydrocortisone (a type of steroid), the lungs develop more quickly, enabling the child to spend less time on a respirator. This is significant, since permanent lung damage can result if a preemie is left on ventilation for too long.
The impending appointment of Dr. Apostolos Papageorgiou (right) as Chief of the Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology was announced in the fall 1985/winter 1986 issue of JGH News.
These achievements, and many more, earned Dr. Papageorgiou numerous awards over the decades, the pinnacle being the top prize from the International Academy of Perinatal Medicine, bestowed in 2019 at the Academy’s World Congress in Istanbul.
In 2013, Dr. Papageorgiou received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, marking the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne. The medal recognized distinguished citizens who had made a major contribution to Canadian society.
As well, in 1987, Dr. Papageorgiou received the Osler Prize from his students in McGill University’s senior medical class, who voted him the teaching member of the Faculty of Medicine who had made the greatest contribution to their medical education.
Thinking back over his career in 2021, Dr. Papageorgiou marvelled at the changes he had witnessed at the JGH: Starting with just six incubators, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit now has more than two dozen in premises in Pavilion K that the unit has occupied since 2016.
Dr. Papageorgiou also recalled that when he was new to the JGH in the early 1970s, about 1,600 babies were born at the hospital each year—a total that now hovers around 4,000.
“Never did I think twice about staying,” he said, “because I got so much pleasure in seeing how much progress we were all making together.
“Not only has the hospital been extremely supportive, it has enabled me to work in a warm environment and to excel in my specialty. I’ve had wonderful support from the administration and excellent colleagues who are very devoted. It has been a pleasure working with them.”
Related Posts
