Obituary

Min Mehta, FRCS
November 1, 1926 - August 23, 2017

Min Mehta, FRCS, the courageous and groundbreaking pioneer in the field of infantile scoliosis, died Wednesday, August 23, 2017 in London, England. She was 90 years of age.  Dr. Mehta knew her destiny was to be a physician by age 6. She was diagnosed with juvenile scoliosis herself. Her own severe deformity helped forge her indomitable spirit into helping others, especially those with infantile scoliosis.

Born in Iran on November 1st, 1926, Dr. Mehta attended medical school in Calcutta, India and did three years of surgical training there before moving to Britain to gain further training. In the 1950's, women faced enormous difficulties securing positions needed to advance in medicine, especially in surgery.  She humbly yet boldly persevered.  She finally landed a position in London, incredibly, because they mistook her name for a man’s!

Her drive, commitment and fearlessness drove her onward, despite the odds. In 1968, she was only the second woman in history to be awarded the prestigious Robert Jones Prize and Gold Medal in Orthopaedics, for her original work on "A Study of Infantile Scoliosis."

In 1969, Dr. Mehta moved back to India to work in the major teaching hospitals in New Delhi and Calcutta.  During this time, she also volunteered to help children with Saint Teresa of Calcutta.  In 1974, Dr. Mehta moved back to London as a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Research at the Institute of Orthopaedics, University of London, and as the Chief of Orthopedic Surgery.  Dr. Mehta retired in 1992, but continued her clinical appointment at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital until 2002.

Dr. Mehta’s landmark article on the result of 25 years of study and treatment of children with infantile scoliosis, was published in Sept. 2005 in the British Volume of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. She was invited to the U.S. by the Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program 10 times, at 10 different hospitals, to train her fellow pioneering American orthopedists on how to apply her corrective casting method.

She enjoyed taking walks in the evening, she was an avid reader, and she enjoyed driving her Mini Cooper around England.  Min was predeceased by her beloved parents and is survived by her brother Meher Mehta and his wife Tina, her niece Ava Mehta Jamooji and her great nieces Tishtrya and Dynara Jamooji, one who attends Oxford, the other Cambridge.  She is also beloved by her scoliosis family, including the countless babies and children she has altered the course of their lives for the better.

 

Ernest Letourneau, MD, CCBOM, DSc
March 14, 1937 - June 22, 2016

Ernest Letourneau, an Honorary Fellow of SRS passed away on June 22, 2016 at the age of 79. He was best known for his work on Radium and its link to cancer.

Born in St-Eustache, Manitoba on March 14th, 1937, Dr. Letourneau obtained his Baccalaureate of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba in 1958. A year of pre-medical studies qualified him for admission to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba in 1959, where he received a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1963. His medical training was completed by a year of internship at the General Hospital of St. Boniface.

His medical training and the Canadian Air Force brought him to Marville, France in 1964. Upon his return to Canadian lands in 1967, he began a career with the Department of Health and Welfare. In addition to leading the Radiation Protection Bureau, Dr. Letourneau gained international experience and expertise. He was also a very active researcher, as evidenced by many publications in specialized journals both in Canada and abroad.

Dr. Letourneau sat on numerous committees as well as commissions and was also a member of many professional organizations and associations, including SRS.