IN REMEMBRANCE
IN REMEMBRANCE : ROGER H . HERZIG , MD JANUARY 4 , 1946 - JULY 18 , 2020
Roger H . Herzig died on July 18 , 2020 from a myocardial
infarction , which was followed by a stroke in the same month . In many ways , he was certainly a special example of an “ old fashioned real doctor ,” but a master of new techniques in medicine . His total focus was patient care and devotion to individuals who often had very difficult clinical situations by the very fact they were seeing him for consultation . Dr . Herzig was invited to become the Director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1988 , and did so .
About that time , but earlier , I had asked Dr . Susan Galandiuk about her experience with him at the Cleveland Clinic . Her response was typical of the man I would get to know , “ He is the best teacher and the best example of a real doctor in the entire Cleveland Clinic system .” That really proved to be true . He took up the then immensely popular concept of aggressive chemotherapy for leukemia , lymphoma and breast cancer , followed by bone marrow transplantation . He devoted his life to this massive clinical enterprise , and the incomplete success of the concept did not appear to slow his zeal and zest for living at all . He has helped so many people in so many ways .
Dr . Sal Bertolone , longtime leader of oncology at Kosair ( later Norton ) Children ’ s Hospital , reminded me how helpful Dr . Herzig had been with respect to bone marrow transplantation in children . With appropriate pride , he said , “ Roger and I ran the only ( first ) combined pediatric and adult marrow transplant programs in the country ; he was great !” As he devoted himself more and more to patient care , he later in his career became a peripatetic presence at the Universities of Louisville , Kentucky and Cincinnati , the latter being his medical alma mater .
Calling on him in the later days of his life , particularly when he was entirely cogent after his myocardial infarction , I was astounded at the number of staff people around the University Medical Center , especially the James Graham Brown Cancer Center , when they just came to his room to wave their very best wishes . Probably even exceeding that genuine gratitude were the phone calls I received from two patients that knew him . They felt they owed their lives to not only his intellectual and technical excellence , but for his always smiling , happy way of making every day brighter .
His sons Robert and Brian still live in Louisville , as does his widow , Donna . His son David has always pursued a sophisticated banking and investment career , now in Dallas , and Daniel is Professor of Surgery and Director of the Surgery Residency Program at the University of Oregon in Portland .
I never realized how he picked up his interest in horseracing and serious handicapping and betting : never a very large amount of money , but hours of work in uncovering the overlays and / or the good bets . He and his extended family and one or more sons were a regular presence at the old Churchill Downs Turf Club every Saturday and Sunday .
The family has requested gifts be directed to the James Graham Brown Cancer Center ( Herzig Memorial Fund ) 529 Jackson Street , Louisville , Kentucky , 40202 . There will be a memorial service representing his life and his contributions to medicine , especially in Louisville and at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center , and to the many young doctors for whom he was nearly an ideal example . That will be held next summer , July 2021 . -Hiram C . Polk , Jr . MD , FRCS Edinburgh ( hon .), FRCS England ( hon .)
22 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE