He was very much looking forward to see the fruits
of all this hard work resulting in new research
into endometriosis, and to present his vision
at the next World Congress of Endometriosis in
March 2008 in Australia.
These achievements
for our Society follow on from other important
contributions which Professor Rodolphe Maheux
made to obstetrics and gynaecology within Canada
and in the worldwide arena. He was a highly respected
clinician and academic professor at Laval University
in Quebec and research and published extensively
within the field of Reproductive Medicine, his
name appearing regularly as invited guest speaker
at international meetings.
He served as
the 51st president of The Society of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) in 1994/5 and
is credited for ushering the SOGC into the new
information age, and had been a past president
of The Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
of Quebec. More recently he was a member of the
executive board of the International Federation
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FIGO) allowing
him to bring his enthusiasm and leadership in
Obstetrics and Gynaecology to a world arena.
Despite all of
these important roles, Rodolphe was committed
to his wife Marie and children. He loved the outdoors,
waterskiing and his farm in the Beauce region
of Quebec, where he had planted hundreds of trees
and done much of the landscaping work himself.
He had a passion for good food and wine, and wherever
you might meet abroad at a congress, he would
know the best restaurants to visit, and you could
be certain of an enjoyable evening in his company.
Many of us have
not only lost a visionary for our World Endometriosis
Society, but someone we would count amongst our
friends.
I am sure you
will join with me in offering our sincere condolences
to the family and friends of Rodolphe Maheux.
Professor
Robert Shaw
Immediate Past President of WES (2005-2008)
It
is a special moment for me to write these few
words in memory of Dr Rodolphe Maheux, my closest
friend, companion and collaborator.
Rodolphe Maheux
will be sadly missed by me and by his family,
friends and colleagues. We all will miss his contagious
enthusiasm and bursting energy.
Rodolphe was
a tenured professor at Laval University in Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, a clinician of international
reputation in gynaecology and reproductive pathologies
related to infertility.
Rodolphe Maheux
was first of all a man of great values, a man
who loved and was very close to his family, a
proud father and grandfather and a friend that
one could rely on. He loved life and was passionate
about everything he did.
He was devoted
to his work, appreciated by his patients for his
compassionate and caring approach, a passionate
researcher and an innovativeteacher and lecturer.
His hobbies and
outside interests were numerous. Passionate about
nature, he loved spending spare time on his farm
near his home town Saint-Georges-de-Beauce in
Quebec taking care of his wild flower garden and
producing his own maple syrup and honey.
Rodolphe was
actively involved in many scientific and professional
organisations at the local, national and international
levels: One of the most innovative head of the
department of obstetrics and gynaecology of Laval
university, president of the SOGC, member of the
CFAS board of directors, president of the WES…).
He was a man
of great vision who actively contributed to the
foundation of the WES, devoted a considerable
time and effort to it, and greatly contributed
to advancing our knowledge of endometriosis as
a physician and researcher dedicated to the cause.
It was a great
privilege to know and work with him…
“Salut
mon ami !”
Professor
Ali Akoum
Member of the WES Council (2005-2008)
Rodolphe Maheux has died, we have lost our president,
we have lost a friend.
Thursday morning,
10th of May, I received an e-mail from Ali Akoum
stating: “It is with great sadness that
I inform you that my friend, colleague and close
collaborator Dr Rodolphe Maheux passed away at
his home yesterday”. And the world stopped
for a second.
Rodolphe was
only 56 when he died, at the summit of a scientific
career, but at the same time highly respected
by his patients. A great organiser, a considerate
chairman, a wonderful friend. He was full of plans,
especially for our society. It was only a few
days before his sad demise that he sent me a copy
of the 2nd edition of his “Handbook of hormonal
contraception and office gynecology” which
illustrated that he was not afraid to take strong
stands on important issues. That’s also
how he turned the World Endometriosis Society
into what it is today. He not only talked about
his plans, he realised them: “For of all
sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are: it
might have been!”
I first met Rodolphe
in 1989 in Houston, having a café latte
during a break of the scientific sessions at the
2nd World Congress on Endometriosis. And we continued
working together ever since, sometimes close,
sometimes at a distance. Throughout the years
it has been a great privilege to work with him,
both in the informal years of the society and
after Quebec, where, at HIS meeting, a real society
(with bylaws) was established.
We have received
so many letters of compassion and commiseration
at his untimely death. On behalf of the WES I
wish to thank you all for these. Rodolphe will
be sadly missed by all of us, but first and foremost
our thoughts are with his family.
For the World
Endometriosis Society the loss is beyond repair.
But in the spirit of Rodolphe: the society will
continue its mission. Until the WES General Assembly
in Melbourne on 13 March 2008, Robert Shaw (immediate
past president) and I (president elect) will jointly
take care of business together with our secretariat.
The WES Council
has decided to name an award in the honour of
Rodolphe for the best clinical abstract presented
at the 10th World Congress on Endometriosis by
a first author under the age of 35 at the time
of the congress.
The winner
of “The Rodolphe Maheux Award for Best Clinical
Presentation by a Promising Young Clinician”
will be presented with a cheque for €1,000
at the closing ceremony of WCE 2008.
Professor
Hans Evers
WES President-elect (2005-2008)
Rodolphe
Maheux Award for a promising young clinician
Rodolphe
Maheux Travel Fund |
