Hampar Kelikian
Encyclopedia
Hampar Kelikian, was a pioneering orthopedic surgeon, who significantly extended the surgical field .
Being a pioneer in the surgical restoration of otherwise useless limbs , he was instrumental in helping U.S. Senator Bob Dole
. When Dole returned from World War II
with injuries that had left his right arm useless and about to be amputated, Kelikian fixed the shattered shoulder and allowed Dole to regain some use of his arm.
n orthopedic surgeon and native of Hadjin. He came to America in 1919 to escape from the Armenian genocide
and was inspired by his uncle, who worked as a surgeon in the Ottoman
army. After emigrating to the United States in 1920, Kelikian worked as a waiter in the University of Chicago, and then obtained a scholarship to train here and Rush Medical College
, as he turned out to be very cleaver and talented. He performed his internship at Cook County Hospital, and in 1929 became an assistant to Philip Kreuscher, who had been in practice with the bone specialist John B. Murphy.
During World War II, Kelikian served as chief orthopedic surgeon and lieutenant colonel at the 297th General Hospital. Bob Dole was one of his many patients, and Kelikian refused to accept any fees from the young veteran, since his brother Siragan had been killed in Italy
in 1943. In total, Kelikian performed seven operations between 1947 and 1953 to restore the use of Dole's arm by transplanting leg bone and muscle to the right shoulder and hand. When he returned to Chicago, he joined the staff of Wesley Hospital and Northwestern Medical School.
Kelikian later became an emeritus
associate professor of orthopedic surgery, performing ten operations a week when he was 80. Kelikian wrote three monographs on hand, ankle, and foot surgery, as well as a book on Armenian poetry. He also specialized in congenital deformities, particularly gigantism
. He never charged Armenians
for treatment.
Kelikian had a son Armen, also a surgeon, and two daughters, Alice and Virginia, by his wife Ovsanna. He died on Sunday July 24, 1983 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
in Chicago. He was 84.
. In 1969, he was appointed to President Nixon
’s Task Force for the Disabled, and in 1966 he received the Order of the National Cedars of Lebanon from the president of Lebanon
.
Being a pioneer in the surgical restoration of otherwise useless limbs , he was instrumental in helping U.S. Senator Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
. When Dole returned from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with injuries that had left his right arm useless and about to be amputated, Kelikian fixed the shattered shoulder and allowed Dole to regain some use of his arm.
Biography
Kelikian was an ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n orthopedic surgeon and native of Hadjin. He came to America in 1919 to escape from the Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
and was inspired by his uncle, who worked as a surgeon in the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
army. After emigrating to the United States in 1920, Kelikian worked as a waiter in the University of Chicago, and then obtained a scholarship to train here and Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, a private university in Chicago, Illinois. Rush Medical College was one of the first medical colleges in the state of Illinois and was chartered in 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was chartered, and opened with 22 students on...
, as he turned out to be very cleaver and talented. He performed his internship at Cook County Hospital, and in 1929 became an assistant to Philip Kreuscher, who had been in practice with the bone specialist John B. Murphy.
During World War II, Kelikian served as chief orthopedic surgeon and lieutenant colonel at the 297th General Hospital. Bob Dole was one of his many patients, and Kelikian refused to accept any fees from the young veteran, since his brother Siragan had been killed in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1943. In total, Kelikian performed seven operations between 1947 and 1953 to restore the use of Dole's arm by transplanting leg bone and muscle to the right shoulder and hand. When he returned to Chicago, he joined the staff of Wesley Hospital and Northwestern Medical School.
Kelikian later became an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
associate professor of orthopedic surgery, performing ten operations a week when he was 80. Kelikian wrote three monographs on hand, ankle, and foot surgery, as well as a book on Armenian poetry. He also specialized in congenital deformities, particularly gigantism
Gigantism
Gigantism, also known as giantism , is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average...
. He never charged Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
for treatment.
Kelikian had a son Armen, also a surgeon, and two daughters, Alice and Virginia, by his wife Ovsanna. He died on Sunday July 24, 1983 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the nation's preeminent academic medical centers and is the primary teaching hospital for Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. It is the second tallest hospital in the United States and the fourth tallest hospital in the world...
in Chicago. He was 84.
Achievements
While he was working for the United States Army, his services were recognized by President Harry Truman, who gave him a citation and a medal. He was also received a citation from the Queen while working as a consulting orthopaedic surgeon at the Ronkswood General Hospital in WorcesterWorcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. In 1969, he was appointed to President Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
’s Task Force for the Disabled, and in 1966 he received the Order of the National Cedars of Lebanon from the president of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
External links
- http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Hampar_Kelikian"
- http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20074772,00.html