Birth place: Beaufort West, Western Cape
Born: 8 November 1922
Died: 2 September 2001
“I don't believe medical discoveries are doing much to advance human life. As fast as we create ways to extend it we are inventing ways to shorten it.” – Christiaan Barnard
Professor Chris Barnard became world famous in the 1960s for being the first surgeon to ever perform a human-to-human heart transplant.
He was one of four sons born to a poor missionary in the Great Karoo. He went to Cape Town to study to become a doctor, and later went to America to specialise in heart surgery.
The first transplant was done in 1967 on Louis Washkansky (54) who had a badly swollen heart. The heart of a young woman, Denise Darvall, who had died in a car accident was used. Barnard led a team of 30 surgeons, doctors and nurses to replace Washkansky’s damaged heart with her healthy heart. Washkansky survived, but died from infections 18 days later.
Barnard had a colourful personal life. He was married and divorced three times. His third wife, Karin, was 40 years younger than him. He had six children in total.
Barnard died from a severe asthma attack while on holiday in Cyprus, Greece.
