EMBASSY EVENTS 2009

Zbigniew Religa, Renowned Polish Heart Surgeon, Dies at 70

9 March 2009

Professor Religa

Professor Zbigniew Religa, Poland’s most prominent heart surgeon, who performed the first heart transplant operation in Poland in 1985, lost a two-year battle with lung cancer on Sunday, March 8.  “I extend my sincere condolences to the Professor’s Wife, Dr Anna Wajszczuk-Religa and to his family,” said U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe.  “Poland has lost an honorable citizen, one who left behind a treasured legacy for future generations.” Professor Religa was one of those men whose contributions to the society and professional accomplishments live on long after they have passed away.  One of the best cardio surgeons in the world, he gave the gift of life to hundreds of heart patients and made significant contributions to the development of the very modern cardio surgery hospital, the Śląskie Centrum Chorób Serca in Zabrze.  Professor Religa was Poland’s Minister of Health from October 31, 2005 to November 16, 2007 when PiS (Law and Justice) was the governing party.

Professional Background

Zbigniew Religa graduated from the Medical University of Warsaw in 1963.  From 1966 to 1980 he worked at the Wolski Hospital in Warsaw, where he specialized in surgery. In 1973, he traveled to New York to train in vascular surgery and subsequently in 1975 he received training in cardiac surgery in Detroit, Michigan. In 1973, he obtained a Ph. D. and in 1981 he finished his habilitation, achieving academic recognition similar to an associate professor or senior lecturer.  From 1980 to 1984, Religa lectured at the Warsaw Institute of Cardiology. In 1984 he was appointed chair of cardiac surgery and directed the Cardio Surgery Clinic in Zabrze; in 1990 he became professor at the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, and went on to be its rector from 1997 to 1999. In 2001 he returned to Warsaw to become director of both the Clinic of Cardiac Surgery No. 2 and the Institute of Cardiology.

A pioneer in human heart transplantation in Poland, he led a team of surgeons to prepare the first successful heart transplantation in the country in November 1985. In 2004, a team led by Religa obtained a prestigious Brussels Eureka award at the World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and Technology for developing an implantable pump for a pneumatic heart assistance system.  Professor Religa received honorary doctorates from the Medical University of Lviv, the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, and the Medical University of Białystok.