Mitsuru Suzuki, MD (2011)

Dr Mitsuru Suzuki, Emeritus Chairman of the Medical Corporation Shoenkai Foundation, died on 23 December 2010 leaving behind a legacy in the dialysis community (Fig. 1). Dr Mitsuru Suzuki. He received his medical degree (MD) and his PhD in surgical sciences and postgraduate training from the Tokyo Medical College in Tokyo, Japan. He established the Tokyo Clinic in 1973 in the Matsudo area as a pioneer of the early age of Japanese hemodialysis therapy. In 1979 he established the medical corporation “Shoenkai” for further medical contributions to the surrounding area, in particular as a core hospital of critical and acute dialysis treatment. In 2002 he was appointed as the Honorary Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Shoenkai Foundation in recognition of all his accomplishments. Dr Suzuki's unlimited contributions for the promotion and improvement of hemodialysis services in Japan resulted in the establishment of the Japanese Association of Dialysis Physicians. In addition to being a founder member of the Japanese Association of Dialysis Physicians and the Shoenkai Medical Corporation, he served on the boards of various organizations with particular influence in the nephrology and medical communities. He served on the Boards of the Medical Associations of Matsudo City and Chiba, and was a Trustee of the Japanese Medical Association and the Chiba Medical Association. He had served on the Board of Trustees of the Japanese Society for Apheresis and was its Conference Chairman in 1994, Congress President for the Japanese Association for Dialysis Therapy, and a founding Board Member of the International Society for Apheresis. Dr Suzuki was Adjunct Staff in the Department of Artificial Organs (now Biomedical Engineering) of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from 1980 to 1999. He was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Recognition from the Japan Medical Association in 2005 and the Blue Ribbon Medal in 2007. His life touched so many including the hundreds of patients he and his staff cared for over so many years and through his philanthropy. Dr Suzuki had a very innovative spirit. As noted by his colleague Dr Nakanobu Azuma, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Medical Corporation Shoenkai Foundation, he initiated the innovative concept of “the patient's and employee's satisfaction are the first priority” in conventional medical care. He introduced team medicine and electronic records, which are other examples of his innovative approach to medical care. Certainly, his innovative approaches will continue with all of his colleagues who will carry on his legacy. It was with great sadness that I first heard of the passing of Dr Suzuki, who is fondly remembered as “Man”, a nickname that suits him so well, although its origin is unknown to me. Our sincerest condolences go especially to his wife Kazuko (best known as Mika, Fig. 2), their families and friends, and his associates at the Tokyo Tokatsu Clinics and Hospital that he founded, grew, and so efficiently operated. Dr Mitsuru Suzuki and his wife Kazuko (Mika). His passing comes to me as a great loss. My first contacts with him were in the very early 1980s when introduced through Dr Yukihiko Nosé. Man took a particular liking to our Department of Artificial Organs at the Cleveland Clinic and its activities and he supported us in our efforts in various ways. He provided technical support via the research staff he sent to our lab and supported while in Cleveland. He provided financial support for our projects related to plasmapheresis that were beginning to be established at the Clinic and later led to the establishment of a clinical service. He provided us with an endowment (in the name of William “Bill” Kiser, then the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic) at a time our department was undergoing a very critical review, further proof of his commitment for our work and its support from Japan. He participated and was lead author in publications from the early 1980s through the early 1990s relating to cryofiltration, apheresis, and their technological developments, investigations on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases, and the associated immunology. These activities are by themselves quite noteworthy and were very important to the research and clinical efforts in Cleveland. He influenced the lives of all those with whom he was in contact. Personally, and for our group, his impact was much more than this. Man was a very non-imposing individual who spoke with a soft tone and was somewhat shy about speaking English, yet his presence was easily felt and he demanded the attention and respect of all those around him. There was seriousness about him not only regarding the science, technical issues, and clinical impacts we discussed, but also, and very importantly, about the persons with which he engaged. He was well traveled and always accompanied by his lovely wife Mika. Together they enriched our lives through their generous love, caring, friendship and teaching, showing (in particular) the non-Japanese among us the most gracious habits and customs of their Japanese traditions. As one example, on a visit to Cleveland they brought the tea ceremony and all its traditions, and I recall seeing, on a visit to their home, an actual tea ceremony building. After my years at the Clinic I was able to meet and enjoy a visit with Man and Mika on several occasions when I traveled to Japan. Man was an important influence in my life and he will be missed. My wife Carol and I pass our heart-filled condolences to Mika and wish her the very best. We know there will be a deep void in her life that will not be filled. May his memory and legacy live forever.