Jonathan James Drummond-Webb



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Cardiol Young 2005; 15: 326–327

© Cambridge University Press

ISSN 1047-9511

W

ITHIN



AND

OUTSIDE


THE

PAEDIATRIC

cardiac fraternity, we were shocked by the

tragic and sad death of Jonathan in the

small hours following Christmas Day, 2004. Jonathan

was born in Johannesburg, in 1959, being the son 

of the late Errol Praine Drummond and Anne

Drummond-Webb. He is survived by his wife,

Lorraine DeBlanche. He gained his medical degrees

at Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, in

1982, after secondary schooling at Damelin College,

and Marist Brothers College. He moved through his

residencies mainly in Johannesburg, and became a

Fellow of the South African College of Surgeons in

1991. He spent four months as a Cardiothoracic

Surgeon at Johannesburg Hospital, and then moved

to a position as Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at

Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein, until midway

through 1993. Jonathan then left South Africa with

Lorraine, undertaking a Fellowship in Cardiovascular

and Thoracic Surgery of two years at the University

of Utah, working at the Hospital of the Latter Day

Saints in Salt Lake City. During that time his focus

was on adult cardiac surgery, extracorporeal membrane

oxygenation, and other devices for ventricular assist.

In 1994, he secured a position as Fellow in Pediatric

and Congenital Heart Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic,

and two years later he accepted the position of Clinical

Associate. In June, 1998, he was promoted to Assistant

Staff Surgeon. Soon thereafter, he was given the job

of Surgical Director of the Paediatric and Congenital

Heart Transplantation Service. In early 2001, he took

up a position as Chief of Congenital Heart Surgery 

at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. He

recruited Michiaki Immamura from Sapporo, who

had also undergone training for 2½ years at the

Cleveland Clinic. Between them, they built on the

basis of the solid programme established by Steven

VanDevanter, and increased their surgical numbers

from about 400 to 600 per year. There was a strong

accent on transplantation, which flourished under

Jonathan and Michiaki. Their 30 day mortality was

down to 1.4 per cent by 2003, which is an outstanding

achievement. At the Cleveland Clinic, we have some

fond memories of Jonathan and Lorraine. We remem-

ber Jonathan’s enthusiasm, his energy, his rapid

assimilation of the morphology, physiology and

management of congenital heart disease, his devo-

tion to the wellbeing of his patients, his excellent

relationship with the families of his patients, and of

his occasional mischievousness.

By all accounts, he carried these attributes to

Little Rock, Arkansas, and built on them. We knew

Jonathan as a driven man, with a stated ambition of

being recognized as the best congenital cardiac sur-

geon. He had charisma and flare, and understood

that, in this competitive day and age, publicity was

Obituary

Jonathan James Drummond-Webb

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Vol. 15, No. 3

Obituary


327

important to growth of his programme. Name

recognition was coming to him rapidly.

When we emerge from the shock of his death, we

ponder on those things that may have contributed.

Certainly, high volume congenital cardiac surgery 

is a very emotionally, mentally, and physically tax-

ing occupation, all heightened by the depth of 

caring embraced by a particular surgeon. Those left

behind by Jonathan’s death, Lorraine, his surgical

team, those of his patients still scheduled for surgery, 

and those families that loved him for what he had

done for their children, are all suffering deeply. 

So many future babies and children could have 

benefited from his great skills. His passing is truly a

real tragedy.



Roger Mee

Pediatric & Congenital Heart Surgery

The Children’s Hospital – The Cleveland 

Clinic Foundation 

9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk M41

Cleveland, OH 44195-5066

United States of America

Tel: 

ϩ1 1 216 444 6915; Fax: ϩ1 1 216 445 3692



E-mail: meer@ccf.org

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