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Durban 12th
March 2010 -
Ethekwini Hospital unveils the Kevin O’Connell Memorial Cath Lab
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On 12th March 2010, Ethekwini Hospital & Heart Centre (EHHC)
unveiled their newly named Catheterisation (Cath) Lab in
honour of cardiologist, Dr Kevin O’Connell.
Dr O’Connell began working at Ethekwini Hospital & Heart
Centre, when it opened its doors on 1st July 2008 and
was a valuable member of the Heart Team. Tragically, on
11th October 2009, Dr O’Connell suffered a massive heart
attack and passed away.
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Dr
Dave Gillmer, Dr Rob Dyer, Georgie O'Connell, Dr Rob
Kleinloog and Dr Guy Letcher at the unveiling of the
Kevin O'Connell Cath Lab at Ethekwini Hospital & Heart
Centre. |
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Dr O’Connell was loved and respected by his patients and
colleagues at the hospital. In recognition of his
enormous contribution to cardiology at EHHC, the Board
of Ethekwini Hospital decided to dedicate their state of
the art Cath Lab facility to his memory.
Speaking at the ceremony, colleague Dr Robin Dyer
commented that the Cath Lab was the place where
cardiologists, “came alive.” He went on to say that Dr
O’Connell was very proud of the facility and it was
fitting that it would forever bear his name.
Dr O’Connell’s widow, Georgie, was asked to officially
open the facility and presented the hospital with a
portrait of her husband, printed with the Desiderata,
one of Dr O’Connell’s favourite poems. In a short
address, she thanked the hospital, commenting that,
“Kevin would have been thrilled with this honour and it
is a comfort to his family and friends that his memory
will be kept alive here, where he dedicated many hours
to improving the lives of his patients.”
Dr Kevin O’Connell was born in Johannesburg on 2nd
September 1961. He matriculated from Potchefstroom Boys
High. He graduated with his MBChB from UCT in 1985,
qualified as a Specialist Physician in 1995 and as a
Cardiologist in 1997. Dr O’Connell’s medical
appointments have been in Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town,
East London and the UK although the bulk of his work as
a Cardiologist was performed in Durban. After a ten year
stint at Westville Hospital, Kevin was part of the
Ethekwini Hospital & Heart Centre team when it opened on
1st July 2008.
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