RIP, Mary Ellen Avery, MD

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I’ve just heard that she died. She made one major discovery in her career, and it was a big one:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/health/research/mary-ellen-avery-premature-babies-savior-dies-at-84.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/health/research/mary-ellen-avery-premature-babies-savior-dies-at-84.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

2

<p>Wow, another unsung heroine! No telling how many young lives she saved with her amazing work & discovery! Thanks for sharing–had never heard of her!</p>

3

<p>I met her! She came to give a guest lecture at the Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati when I was chief resident there (early 90s) and we got to take her out to dinner. She was smart, funny and lovely. A true pioneer.</p>

4

<p>Think of all the preemies that were saved because of her!</p>

<p>:)</p>

5

<p>She was not “unsung,” fortunately, but she was not well-known outside of academic medical circles. This obituary has more information on her life:</p>

<p>[Mary</a> Ellen Avery, 84; found key factor to save preemies - Boston.com](<a href=“http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-11/obituaries/30612283_1_pediatrics-physician-highest-honor]Mary”>http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-11/obituaries/30612283_1_pediatrics-physician-highest-honor)</p>

<p>I find it interesting that seemingly random events - female neighbor who was a pediatrician, bout with tuberculosis - led to her career and her interest in lung function in premature infants.</p>

<p>Her discovery has been credited with saving the lives of 800,000 premature babies. Not bad!</p>

6

<p>Wow. </p>

<p>I knew of her because of my public health classes. She was an advocate for health in developing countries but I had no idea what she did for premies. </p>

<p>It’s women like her that make me wonder what we missed by excluding women and minorities from so many positions for so long.</p>

<p>May she rest in peace.</p>