Paul Hyman, MD, Mourned
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of long-time and respected colleague, Dr. Paul Hyman. Dr. Hyman passed away August 7th after a lengthy illness. A native of Hartford, Connecticut, he relocated to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and became Departmental Chair of the Gastroenterology Department at New Orleans Children's Hospital.
Dr. Hyman was an American pioneer in the subspecialty, Pediatric NeuroGastroenterology. Over the years, he trained many young physicians in this specialty, which takes a gestalt approach to treating children with functional gastric issues and pain. He realized that a great percentage of children with gastric pain that was not the result of a treatable disease could be healed and helped by addressing the “brain/gut” connection with psychological and behavioral management therapy. When first presented in the 1980s, his methods were considered unusual. But as the physicians he trained went out and joined other clinics and hospitals, there were soon Pediatric Neuro-Gastroenterologists in almost every major medical center.
“Dr. Hyman was truly one of a kind. In a way, he was a gentle giant to his patients. Many of us as physicians hone in on the ‘Medical Model' of medicine; however, he had a way with his words unlike anyone else,” said Dr. Russ Zwiener, the Director of Endoscopy and Pediatric Advanced and Therapeutic Endoscopy at Children's Hospital. “The way he incorporated the ‘Bio-Psychosocial' model of medicine will forever stick with me in my career. I am forever grateful to be trained by him and will miss him dearly.”
Dr. Bruno Chumpitazi also shared his fond memories of Dr. Hyman. “Paul always had a ready smile and provided encouragement when he made the extra effort to speak to the presenters of all the neurogastroenterology related posters at the NASPGHAN annual meetings. As a fellow and later a faculty member it was always such a boost to have the grandfather of pediatric neurogastroenterology visit your poster,” he said. “Paul was an incredibly gracious host and it was clear when visiting LSU that he had a passion for educating and advocating for his trainees. Paul had fantastic mementos in his office including a group picture of himself and fellow faculty members/trainees appearing in the same likeness of a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover album (Déjà vu).
“Paul was a trailblazer and opened an incredible path in pediatric neurogastroenterology for so many others to do their best to follow. Thank you, Paul!”
Dr. Elizabeth Alonso said, “It was an honor to have worked with him for six years. He taught me a lot about function disorders. His legacy will continue to forever be with me. He was always willing to help us and his patients. He will be missed.”
“Paul inspired me in learning motility and neurosensory problems in children,” said Dr. Jim Noel. “He served as my mentor and my inspiration for studying intestinal motility disorders. He will be sorely missed as a teacher to us all.”
“Paul and I were clinical fellows together at UCLA with Dr Marvin Ament. It was long ago, during a time when duty hours did not exist, so we would typically preround at about 7 am, see patients and do procedures throughout the day, and finish rounding often well after 10 pm that evening! But we truly enjoyed that period of time - we learned a lot about pediatric gastroenterology and about each other (and Bruce Springsteen)! One of our favorite times was attending our first DDW's together, when we would have the small booklet with the daily schedule,” said Dr. Mel Heyman. “Paul and I would room together (since he had already attended scientific meetings, I was his 'pup'), planning the next day's activities from dawn to next evening that meant bouncing from one abstract presentation to the next (there were very few lectures), and working our way through poster sessions where we really had a chance to see the leaders in all areas of GI - from the intestinal tract to liver to motility and including basic science (where he glommed on to the peptic acid studies in particular). Fond memories, Paul! Rest in peace.”
Earlier this year he was recognized by his peers and awarded The NASPAGAM Distinguished Service Award for a Lifetime of Excellent Service. He graduated from medical school at the University of Connecticut, was a Pediatric House officer at New York's Bellevue Hospital, a Staff Fellow at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at Harbor-UCLA, Director of the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Motility at Children's Hospital of Orange County, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA, and Chief of Gastroenterology at the University of Kansas Children's Hospital before coming to New Orleans Children's Hospital in 2006.
Dr. Hyman's first passion was healing children, but his second passion was music. He was a blues harmonica player and in high school was the lead singer in a rock band. Over the past six years he went from blues to traditional Irish Music, forming with his wife, Vali, and his brother, Martin, an Irish band named Irish Enough. Irish Enough was the only Jewish Irish band in the state. They enjoyed performing in the French Quarter at The Kerry Irish Pub and at other private functions.
Dr. Hyman is greatly missed by his family, friends, colleagues and former students.