Wilfred Gordon Bigelow facts for kids
Wilfred Gordon "Bill" Bigelow (June 18, 1913 – March 27, 2005) was a Canadian heart surgeon. He is famous for helping to develop the artificial pacemaker and for using hypothermia (cooling the body) during open heart surgery. His work made heart operations much safer.
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Early Life and Education
Wilfred Bigelow was born in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. His father was also a doctor, and his mother was a nurse. Bill Bigelow followed in their footsteps, studying medicine at the University of Toronto. He earned his medical degree (MD) in 1938.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Bigelow served as a captain in the Royal Canadian Medical Army Corps. He worked as a surgeon on the front lines, helping wounded soldiers. After the war, he continued his medical training. In 1947, he joined the surgical team at Toronto General Hospital. A year later, he became part of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.
Bigelow's Medical Breakthroughs
In the 1950s, Dr. Bigelow came up with a groundbreaking idea: using hypothermia during heart surgery. This meant carefully lowering a patient's body temperature before an operation.
How Hypothermia Helps
When the body is cooler, it needs less oxygen. This gives surgeons more time to work on the heart safely. Before this, heart operations were very risky because the heart had to be stopped for a short time. Bigelow's method made these complex surgeries possible and much safer for patients.
Developing the Pacemaker
Dr. Bigelow also played a key role in developing the artificial pacemaker. A pacemaker is a small device that helps regulate a person's heartbeat. His research into how cooling the body affected the heart's rhythm contributed to the invention of this life-saving device.
Later Life and Recognition
Dr. Bigelow wrote two books about his medical work: Cold Hearts and Mysterious Heparin. He was also interested in nature and served as a director for the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Awards and Honors
In 1981, Dr. Bigelow was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honors. In 1997, he was recognized for his important contributions to medicine and was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
Family Life
Wilfred Bigelow was married to Ruth Jennings for nearly 60 years. They had four children: Pixie, John, Dan, and Bill.
