Deeply cherish the memory of Professor Zhong Gao WANG

A personal reflection of the Asian Society of Vascular Surgery

Subconsciously, time flies without notice, and the Asian Society for Vascular Surgery has been well functioning for more than two decades after her inauguration.

It was in a vascular meeting, the 6th International Vascular Conference convened in Seoul, Korean in October 1992, when Prof. John B Chang of USA, Prof. Yoshio Mishima of Japan, Prof. Yong Kak Lee of Korea and Prof. Zhong Gao Wang of China had a special discussion and drafted its Constitution (Fig 1), and the society was then formally launched (Fig 2). Prof. John B Chang served as Founding Chairman, Professors Mishima, Lee and Wang belonged to initiators and were responsible to organize the First, Second and Third of its congress respectively.

Fig 1.  A Serious Discussion                                                                Fig 2. Asian Society of Vascular Surgery Established

 

On November 2-4, 1994, the First Congress of Asian Society for Vascular Surgery was organized by Prof. Yoshio Mishima and convened

in Ube, Japan with tremendous success. There was a sizable Chinese delegation consisting of 29 delegates, none except very few had attended international activities before, they were all highly selected and then escorted by myself to Ube, Japan. Two young surgeons from China obtained young investigator award. My lecture was “Endothelial Seeding Venous Prosthesis”.

In 1996, the Second Congress of Asian Society for Vascular Society was held in Seoul Korea, which was organized by Prof. Yong Kak Lee. Wang selected and brought 12 Chinese delegates joining the meeting. As an elected President, I gave a key note lecture on “Vascular surgery in China”.

On May 8-10, 1998, the Third Congress of Asian Vascular Society was held in Beijing, China organized by myself. Though it was facing a very difficult time due to an unexpected Asian economic turmoil, the meeting had still more than 300 foreign delegates from more than 20 countries. The welcome dinner for renowned speakers was held even at the Diao Yu Dai State Guesthouse, and the Gala Reception was held at the Great People’s Hall with a colorful acrobatic performance with incredible wonders and the Farewell at the Continental Grand Hotel with playing of Chinese popular music.

The magnitude of the congress or lectures given can also be reflected from publishing two books for the very meeting, and published by the International Academic Publishers. First book entitling “Vascular Surgery Volume I (Proceedings of the International Congress of Asian Society for Vascular Surgery) 1998:1- 428 was available before the meeting; and the second book of “Vascular Surgery Volume II (Proceedings of the International Congress of Asian Society for Vascular Surgery) 1998: 429-825 was completed exactly two months after the Congress (Fig 3).

 Fig 3.  Books published for the Third Congress of Asian Society for Vascular Surgery

After meeting we did receive plenty of appreciated comments from renowned surgeons around the world such as Prof. Henner Muller-Wiefel, the Past President of Germany and also European Vascular Society, Prof. Yang-Kak Lee, Prof. Byung-Boong Lee, Director of Sumsung Medical Center, Korea, Prof. Dirk A Loose, President of International Society of Congenital Vascular Malformation, Prof. Wolff M Kirsch, Director of Minimal Invasive Surgical Lab of the Loma Linda University, USA

In the 6th of its like held in India in 2004, an Award for His Outstanding Contribution in the Society to the Development of Vascular Society and Asian Vascular Society was issued to me by His Excellency, Dr. Abdul Kalam, the Honorable President of India

For memory of the respected Asian Society for Vascular Society written by

Zhong Gao Wang, MD, FACS

Life Long Honorable President of Chinese Vascular Society

President of Asian Society of Vascular Surgery (1996-98)

Vice President of International Vascular Society

Vice President of International College of Angiology

Adviser and Past Vice President of International Union of Angiology

Honorable Director of Vascular Institute of Capital Medical University

Academician of Chinese Academy of Science

on March 8, 2013