Figure. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., MD
Ray C. Fish (1902–1962) was a leading figure in Houston's natural gas industry and a philanthropist. He believed in the American dream of “opportunity for success.” The Ray C. Fish Foundation was established so that others might be encouraged to broaden man's self-knowledge and to keep the American dream alive. After its founder's death from heart disease, the Fish Foundation granted $5 million to make the Texas Heart Institute a reality. For this reason, the Institute's highest professional award is given in honor of this extraordinary man. The award recognizes those whose innovations have made significant contributions to cardiovascular medicine and surgery.
The 1st Texas Heart Institute Medal and Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Diseases were presented in 1972 to Dr. Norman Shumway. Since 1972, 30 other highly deserving recipients have been so honored by the Institute. The complete Roll of Recipients appears on the next page.
Charles D. Fraser, Jr., MD
The 2010 Fish Award recipient is Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr. Since his recruitment in 1995 to Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital to establish a new congenital heart surgery unit, Dr. Fraser has worked to refine the surgical treatment of small babies, children, and adults with congenital cardiac disease. He and his team have performed over 10,000 congenital cardiac repairs and related surgeries in children and adults. His focus has been on the surgical care of these patients, with particular emphasis on complex neonatal repairs of serious cardiac malformations. Dr. Fraser has developed dedicated pediatric heart and lung transplant and mechanical circulatory support teams to offer every therapy available for the care of critically ill children. He also serves as director of the Adult Congenital Heart Surgery Program at the Texas Heart Institute.
Dr. Fraser maintains an active research program with specific interests in congenital heart surgical outcomes, transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, brain protection, and bioengineering. In 2002, his team developed the first pediatric lung transplant program in the Southwest, which has subsequently grown to be the nation's largest. He implanted the world's first MicroMed DeBakey VAD® Child device in March of 2004. He currently serves as the National Principal Investigator of a pivotal multi-center pediatric ventricular assist device trial to assess the safety and benefit of the Berlin Heart EXCOR® Pediatric device.
Dr. Fraser has contributed over 160 journal articles, chapters, and textbooks to the medical literature and has made more than 160 presentations to professional audiences.
Roll of Recipients
of the Texas Heart Institute Medal and the Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Diseases
1972 Norman E. Shumway Cardiovascular Surgery (Heart Transplantation)
1973 F. Mason Sones, Jr. Cardiology (Coronary Angiography)
1974 Eugene E. Braunwald Physiology (Myocardial Preservation)
1975 Willem J. Kolff Cardiovascular Surgery (Artificial Organs)
1976 Harvey Feigenbaum Cardiology (Echocardiography)
1977 John W. Kirklin Cardiovascular Surgery (Heart-Lung Machines)
1978 Bernard Lown Cardiology (Cardiac Arrhythmias)
1979 John J. Gallagher and William C. Sealy (co-recipients) Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery (Surgery for Pre-Excitation)
1980 W. Proctor Harvey Cardiology (Clinical Practice and Teaching)
1981 Paul M. Zoll Cardiology (Pacemaking)
1983 Andreas R. Grüntzig Cardiology (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty)
1984 Hein J.J. Wellens and Douglas P. Zipes (co-recipients) Cardiology (Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Cardiac Arrhythmias)
1985 Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgery (Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease, Aneurysms of the Aorta, and Implantation of the Artificial Heart)
1986 William J. Rashkind Pediatric Cardiology (Nonsurgical Treatment of Congenital Heart Disease)
1987 Dwight E. Harken Cardiovascular Surgery (Intracardiac Surgery)
1988 J. Willis Hurst Cardiology (Writing and Teaching)
1989 Robert J. Hall Cardiology (Clinical Practice and Teaching)
1990 Sol Sherry Cardiology (Thrombolytic Therapy)
1992 Arthur S. Keats Cardiovascular Anesthesiology
1997 Aldo R. Castañeda Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
1997 Julio C. Palmaz Radiology (Endovascular Stents)
1998 Magdi Yacoub Cardiovascular Surgery (Heart-Lung Transplantation)
1999 Thomas J. Fogarty Cardiovascular Surgery (Medical and Surgical Devices)
2004 James L. Cox Cardiovascular Surgery (Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation)
2004 Stephen Westaby Cardiovascular Surgery (First Clinical Trial of Axial-Flow Devices for Destination Therapy and Significant Contributions to the SurgicalLiterature)
2007 Charles E. Mullins Pediatric Cardiology (Teaching and Pioneering Work in Interventional Techniques for Congenital Heart Disease)
2008 O.H. Frazier Cardiovascular Surgery (Heart Transplantation and Research and Development of the Left Ventricular Assist Device)
2009 James T. Willerson Cardiology (Pioneering Work in Unstable Atherosclerotic Plaques, Acute Coronary Syndromes, and Cardiac Stem Cells)
2010 Charles D. Fraser, Jr. Cardiovascular Surgery (Development of a Program Known for Its Effectiveness in Correcting Congenital Cardiovascular Disease in Children)