LETTERS TO EDITOR
Prof. Jean-Claude Schoevaerdts

Dear Friends,



it is with great sadness that I learnt about the death of prof. Jean-Claude Schoevaerdts. It is a great loss for world of medicine, for ESCVS, for us. The great man passed away – a man who will always be remember as a very talented surgeon, but also as an extraordinary person of impeccable honesty, always faithful to the moral rules and the truth, well known for his great kindness.



It was prof. Schoevaerdts, who contributed greatly to the development of the ESCVS and in the difficult times of the Society – to bringing the ESCVS back on the right track. He was always very involved in ESCVS activity, serving the Society for many years and supporting its later authorities with his experience and advice.



It was also prof. Schoevaerdts who – together with prof. Vermeulen, reconstructed the history of the ESCVS, saving from oblivion many important facts, events and people related to our Society. Thanks to joint efforts and hard work of prof. Schoevaerdts and prof. Vermeulen, for the first time we could get acquainted (during the Opening Ceremony of the 60th ESCVS Congress in Moscow), with ESCVS rich output and history.



The good of the Society was always on prof. Schoevaerdts’ mind. We shall never forget it.



I would like to thank you, as the ESCVS past president, that back in 2011 during General Assembly of the 60th ESCVS

Congress in Moscow, we unanonimously decided to honor prof. Schoevaerdts with the highest ESCVS award – honorary membership. I am glad that we had a chance and time to do it, prof. Schoevaerdts fully deserved for such recognition.



I am honored and proud, we all are, to know personally prof. Schoevaerdts. He was my Friend and our Teacher.



He will be very missed.



May he rest in peace.



Sincerest condolences for prof. Schoevaerdts’ Family, Friends and Co-workers,



Marian Zembala

Editor-in-Chief of Polish Journal of Thoracic

and Cardiovascular Surgery

President ESCVS 2010-2012