Friends, Colleagues Remember Jim Tweddell, MD
Friends, Colleagues Remember Jim Tweddell, MD
Jim Tweddell, MD, executive co-director of the Heart Institute and a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, passed away on July 1 at age 62 after a battle with brain cancer. It was a huge loss for his family and friends, as well as the patients and families he cared for and the colleagues who worked with him every day at Cincinnati Children’s.
On July 18, staff from the Heart Institute hosted a celebration of Tweddell’s life in the Sabin Auditorium. As colleagues and friends stepped up to the podium to share their memories, a portrait emerged of a man who was larger than life in terms of his genius, skill, innovation, and talent, and most especially, in the lives he touched.
Said long-time friend and colleague Stuart Burger, MD, of Lurie Children’s, “I first met Jim in Milwaukee in 1993 when he was just out of fellowship. Even then, his command of the OR was amazing, as was his ability to get a patient onto bypass so quickly and elegantly. But confident as he was, it was never about him. He understood the team concept—that the whole exceeded the sum of the parts and that working together made everyone better. He was generous with his time and expertise. He treated everyone with great kindness and consideration, he had a wonderful sense of humor, and he was so grounded by his family.”
Said Jake Jaquiss, MD, of Children’s Health, “Jim was a visionary heart doctor. His hands were very, very good, his judgment was better, and his mind was his best attribute. He was a confessor. Being a cardiologist is a very lonely occupation. It’s hard to find someone who understands what we do. He was an empathetic and sympathetic listener. He manifested humility, which made him almost like a unicorn in our profession. In Jim, we were fortunate to know and love an extraordinary person. We were given an amazing gift.”
Tweddell possessed an exuberance for life and a willingness to try anything. This included playing the banjo, for which he developed a passion.
His oldest daughter, Sarah, observed that much of her dad’s success was attributable to her mother, Susie, who was steadfast in her support of him.
“He was taken too soon,” she said, “but he had no regrets. He didn’t complain about his diagnosis. He did not spend his time waiting for the weekend or retirement to do what he loved. He did what he loved all his life.”
David Morales, MD, who has since been named a new Heart Institute executive co-director and director of Cardiothoracic Surgery, closed out the celebration with an announcement that the Heart Institute planned to honor Tweddell in three ways:
- Establishing the James S. Tweddell Chair of Congenital Heart Surgery
- Instituting the James S. Tweddell Visiting Lectureship for Congenital Heart Surgery
- Hanging one of Tweddell’s banjos outside of the ORs
Andrew Redington, MD, executive co-director of the Heart Institute and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, stated, “The world was a better place with Jim Tweddell in it, and it’s a better world even though he’s gone. He is still influencing and inspiring us to be better doctors, to save the lives of children and touch the lives of so many people. It’s an extraordinary legacy for an extraordinary man.”
After every operation, Jim would shake the hand of his assistant and thank the entire team, said his colleague Stuart Burger, MD.
Said daughter Sarah, "Dad didn't wait for the weekend or retirement to do what he loved. He did what he loved all his life."
Susie was Jim's biggest supporter and always there to cheer him on.
Jim's wife, Susie, accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf from members of the Congenital Heart Surgeon's Society earlier this year.
What Others Say About Jim Tweddell, MD
“Dr. Tweddell’s legacy is stitched into our son’s heart, and we will never forget the gift he gave us with his skilled hands.”
--Laura Kohus, a patient’s mother
“Jim was a good friend, a wonderful colleague and extraordinary person on so many levels. To say the world lost a great guy too early doesn’t do justice to his passing. Despite his many accomplishments and accolades, he should have had many more ‘good years’ to continue doing the things he loved and enjoyed. He was there in times of need for so many. His intellect, knowledge of things (that no one person should know) and quick wit were exemplary.”
--Jim Quintessenza, MD, former colleague
“Jim had the office next to me. In order to decompress and rest after completing a surgery, he would retire to his office and strum his banjo. Even though his office door was closed, his banjo tunes could still be softly heard through our shared wall. It was interesting to reflect on how a man so expert with his hands professionally and surgically had taken up banjo as a hobby and passion which also required dexterity with his hands. Today, I hear the melodic memory of Jim playing Dueling Banjos, and I know it represents Jim at peace reflecting on all the spectacular surgeries he performed and precious lives he saved.”
--Tom Kimball, MD, former colleague
“Jim’s investment in trainees and the adoration he had for his family inspired a dedication to foster meaningful relationships. While our hearts are broken by his all-too-soon departure, Dr. Tweddell’s life will remain an inspiration. We will strive to carry on an important lesson he lived out—even when broken hearts cannot be fixed in this life, somehow, joy can still be found.”
--Shae Anderson Merves, MD, former 4th year cardiac imaging fellow
“We will forever be grateful for you, your heart and compassion for CHD kiddos. You sustained life for so many and gave second chances and hope when all seemed bleak.”
--Parent of a patient
“A master of his craft, Dr. Tweddell gave us hope. He was tireless in his determination to give our daughter a fighting chance. Never once did he seem exasperated with our endless questions, and we were confident that he was her best chance. Dr. Tweddell’s genuine compassion for his patients and their families was the light we needed to see past the blindness of the dark. This larger-than-life figure was the best of the best and will be missed. May his family find comfort knowing that his legacy lives on in the babies he was able to give a second chance.”
--Keren Chowdhury, parent of a patient
“Jim was a truly gifted surgeon and always the consummate gentleman.”
--J. Blaine John, MD
“Jim defined my fellowship and set the bar incredibly high…because of his impeccable surgical outcomes. I am sad for the children that won’t get to be operated on by him…there aren’t many surgeons with the incredible precision he had. I remember patients used to say he looked like the cartoon character “Mr. Incredible,” and he had a figurine from a patient that he kept near the OR. It meant so much to me how much he valued the fellows and treated us as equals. I am grateful for the impact he had in my training, and I’m honored to have worked with him.”
--Elena Kwon, MD, former fellow and colleague at Children’s Wisconsin
“I had the benefit of working with Jim after I joined the faculty at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin in 2002. But it wasn’t until my mother-in-law was diagnosed with a 35-mm atrial septal defect at age 61 years that Jim’s true abilities as a surgeon came to light. She had put off surgery for 1.5 years despite some pulmonary hypertension. It wasn’t until the night before surgery after Dr. Tweddell deduced the reason for her fear. She thought that if they stopped her heart for the cardiopulmonary bypass, that it might not start up again. Jim, in his usual reassuring way, said something about how he couldn’t keep it from jumping back to life, and all was history. Susan is now almost 20 years post-op from ACHD surgery and doing well. We appreciate her every day and deeply appreciate Jim and his special skill of understanding people. We will miss him.”
--Janette Strasburger, MD, former colleague
“During the first surgery conference he attended after arriving [at Cincinnati Children’s], someone showed a Mullins diagram (the drawing of a heart for cath) that had added grey shading to make the left ventricle small. He said, “It’s a simple surgery. All we have to do is scoop out all the grey stuff.” I instantly knew I would like him. He had at least one funny comment per conference, usually many more.”
--Tom Ryan, MD, PhD, colleague at Cincinnati Children’s
“Jim was an amazing and talented surgeon who cared deeply about his patients, but he also cared about his team.”
--Ndidi Musa, MD, former colleague