In Memoriam: William Tasman, MD (1929-2017)

OBITUARY In Memoriam: William Tasman, MD (1929-2017)

Julia A. Haller, MD

illiam Tasman, MD, whose tall distinguished fig- Dr Tasman was a recipient of many of our specialty’s ure cast a physical and metaphorical shadow highest honors, including the Wills Eye Hospital Alumni W across global ophthalmology, died peacefully at Society’s Silver Tray Award, the College of Physicians of his Chestnut Hill home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sur- Philadelphia’s Zentmayer Award, the American Academy of rounded by his family on March 28. He had fought back cou- Ophthalmology’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Stritt- rageously from a fall that broke his hip some weeks earlier but matter Award of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, ultimately died of congestive heart failure. It was the only time the Marshall Parks Award of the American Association for his great heart ever failed him. Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the Lucien Howe His loyalties ran deep. A Philadelphia gentleman, he Medal of the American Oph- graduated from Germantown Friends School, Haverford Col- thalmological Society, the lege (where he played single-wing football), and Temple Uni- Gold Medal of the Kingdom versity School of Medicine. He served his country as a of Saudi Arabia, the Heed captain in the 7100th US Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Award, and the Charles Germany, before returning to complete his residency in oph- Schepens Award of the thalmology at the Wills Eye Hospital. Following residency, Retina Society. His remark- he pursued a retina fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and able career continued active Ear Infirmary, Boston, returning to Philadelphia and Wills to the very end. He relished Eye Hospital in 1962 to begin his storied tenure at the same seeing patients in his office, hospital where his father had practiced. The year 1962 also many of them treated as marked another important transition in Dr Tasman’s life, as babies who subsequently it was then he married the elegant and formidable Alice Lea became his lifelong friends. Mast, embarking on a lifelong partnership that enhanced Dr Tasman contributed an every aspect of his life and professional career. The rest is article1 to an Ophthalmology William Tasman, MD history. retina supplement in Octo- He had a meteoric rise through the academic ranks while ber 2016 and, in his last week, he approved the list of eye building one of the most successful retina practices in the coun- books to be deaccessioned from the Jefferson Library for try, training a generation of residents and fellows, and sub- Wills Eye Hospital. stantively contributing to many of the key organizations in our Above and beyond his work as a surgeon-scientist, men- field, with leadership capped by his 22-year career as ophthal- tor, and leader, Dr Tasman was a remarkable human being. mologist-in-chief of Wills Eye Hospital and professor and chair The Wills Eye Hospital inbox is filled with personal reminis- of ophthalmology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas cences from all over the world. He found jobs for residents’ Jefferson University. He rose through many years of service to spouses, he thoughtfully remembered family details from become president of the American Academy of Ophthalmol- long-ago fellowship interviews, he helped friends’ children ogy, chairman of the American Board of Ophthalmology, presi- with Haverford letters of recommendation, and he took time dent of the American Ophthalmological Society, and a found- to encourage, recommend, and bolster so very many in all ing member and president of the Retina Society. With almost walks of life and all over the world. He was a wonderful fam- 300 studies in the peer-reviewed literature and 64 book chap- ily man, with a long and happy marriage and 3 delightful and ters—the last published in 2016—Dr Tasman’s contributions accomplished children, James, Alice, and Graham, and 5 spanned the field of retina, notably retinal detachment and dia- grandchildren. History buff par excellence, he was a betic retinopathy; perhaps his most transformational work was Churchillian raconteur of the first water; an amateur thes- in pediatric retina and specifically retinopathy of prematu- pian with some Broadway credentials; an avid world trav- rity. An early innovator in cryotherapy for retinopathy of eler; sailor; and tennis enthusiast. Despite his august and prematurity, he planned, organized, and led the original mul- intimidating resume, he was unfailingly kind and twinkling. ticenter Philadelphia-wide randomized trial of laser vs cryo- He loved nothing better than to be an active participant in therapy for retinopathy of prematurity that served as the pi- the annual Wills Eye Hospital residents’ skit. A favorite Wills lot for the larger definitive National Eye Institute–funded trial. vignette is from the year the residents, discovering with His Wills Eye Hospital colleagues Gary Brown, MD, and Bill delight that “the Chief” had a patient name a harness race- Benson, MD, recall with admiration those pioneering days and horse after him, included a real-life clip of “Dr Tasman” trot- Dr Tasman’s modesty and generosity in sharing the credit for ting his way to first at the racecourse finish line and then this landmark study. relocated to the blueblood’s fictitious home stable. There in

jamaophthalmology.com (Reprinted) JAMA Ophthalmology July 2017 Volume 135, Number 7 823

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his office was Dr T himself, good-naturedly portraying his 1. Fine SL, Goldberg MF, Tasman W. Historical perspectives on the management namesake on all fours by his desk, being patted and fed a of macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment: personal reminiscences. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(10S):S64-S77. carrot. A card to the core, as the camera rolled, the real Dr T improvised with a flourish, snorting, neighing, and rising up Author Affiliation: Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. to paw the air dramatically. Corresponding Author: Julia A. Haller, MD, Wills Eye Hospital, 840 Walnut St, Surgeon, patriot, historian, scientist, mentor, athlete, hus- Ste 1510, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5109 ([email protected]). band, father, and best of friends, Dr Tasman’s illustrious mor- Published Online: May 25, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2017.1643 tal life is over. Now immortality is his in the lives, careers, and Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The author has completed and submitted the memories of those he leaves behind. Ave atque vale (“Hail and ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were farewell”). reported.

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