Rene Favaloro Honored With a Google Doodle

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Medicine
Health
Society
Edward Hessler


Today's Google Doodle celebrates the achievements of Argentinian cardiac surgeon Rene Favaloro who would have been 96 today.

Like me you may wonder who he is and why his birthday is the subject of a Google Doodle.

Forbes has an article about the Doodle as well as Favaloro. Forbes contributor Bruce Lee tells us why when he says, "When you think of Favaloro, think of CABGs, which is pronounced cabbages but has little to do with the vegetable. CABG is short for coronary artery bypass graft. While you may think that all your heart needs is some love, what it really needs is oxygen to function and survive. 

Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that provide blood and thus oxygen to your heart." The surgery is the most common heart surgery in the world.

There are two videos linked in Lee's essay. The first is to a short (~5 minutes) Cleveland Clinic video about CABGs, "the surgery," Lee reminds us, "and not the vegetable." The second video is from The Independent (< 1 minute).  I appreciated Lee's warning and you might, too. The video has "a tremendous amount of bass in the background music."

As usual please read Lee's article. He ended his essay by writing, " Thus, if you have a heart, you may want to say Happy Birthday to the late Dr. Favaloro."

Happy Birthday!