Announcing newest Victor Chang Foundation Surgical Fellow, Dr Shingo Takahara

The Victor Chang Foundation is proud to announce our newest grant recipient, Dr Shingo Takahara from Japan.

Over the next two years the Victor Chang Foundation Surgical Fellowship will give Dr Takahara the opportunity to learn cardiac surgical techniques, including heart transplantation, from some of the world’s leading heart specialists at St Vincent’s Hospital, including pre-eminent Australian surgeon Dr Paul Jansz. Dr Takahara will take these skills back to Japan to save the lives of thousands of people with heart disease, and to teach other surgeons the skills he has learnt.

“Japanese surgeons hardly experience this advanced therapy for end-stage heart failure” says Dr Takahara. “The experience from the fellowship at St Vincent Hospital will help me to develop my skills and knowledge in this field as well as to promote organ transplantation as one of the standard therapeutic options in Japanese society, which in turn would contribute to further improvement of this therapy, particularly in Asia.” 

Most recently Dr Takahara was working in Miyagi Children’s Hospital in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. “I would like to study paediatric cardiac heart transplantation as well” says Shingo Takahara. Congenital heart diseases are the cause for almost twice the number of deaths in children than all other children’s cancers combined.

“Obviously heart transplantation was the reason my father and his team was well known in Australia and Asia however he never forgot his deep-felt ties to China. This is one of the main reasons he started his Foundation – to pass on his knowledge and skills to heart surgeons around Asia; this really was my father’s absolute passion. I know he would be so delighted that we are continuing the work of his Foundation. I must also mention that he was striving to be innovative in the area of cardiac surgery.” says Vanessa Chang, CEO of the Victor Chang Foundation, and daughter of Victor Chang. 

Dr Chang’s determination to teach Asian surgeons advanced cardiac techniques continues through his Foundation. With access to training via the Victor Chang Foundation heart surgeons will operate on patients in Asia so they have a much greater chance of surviving. 

Please help us continue the Foundation’s work by visiting victorchangfoundation.com/donate

Dr Takahara at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.