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BWH mourns the loss of anesthesiologist Vladimir “Vlad” Formanek, MD, a master of the art, science and humanity of medicine. Dr. Formanek, who has been part of the BWH family since 1992, passed away March 7 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 52.
“Vlad was genuinely one of the nicest, most selfless people any of us has ever met,” said cardiac anesthesiologist Danny Muehlschlegel, MD. “He touched everyone’s life; he was such a remarkable person and physician.”
Born in Plzen, Czechoslovakia, Dr. Formanek earned his medical degree from Charles University in Prague and completed initial training in his native country. He then completed his residency in anesthesiology at BWH, followed by a fellowship in thoracic anesthesia, before joining the BWH staff.
Dr. Formanek was one of few anesthesiologists who performed a variety of cases—cardiac, thoracic and general. He ran the floor in the OR, was head of the Anesthesiology Faculty Board and took more call than anyone, up until the time he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2008.
“He was so smart and good at what he did,” said John Fox, MD, an anesthesiologist who has known Dr. Formanek since he was a resident. “He was the go-to person in an emergency, extremely competent and always able to remain calm. Patients felt well cared for with Vlad by their side, and his presence was reassuring to his colleagues, especially for difficult cases.” Leslie Sabatino, BSN, RN, of the Cardiac Surgery ICU, experienced this firsthand while she and Dr. Formanek were supporting Team Heart’s first patient to come out of surgery during the team’s inaugural mission to Rwanda in 2008. “I was terrified, but Vlad’s calmness came over me, and I realized everything would be fine,” Sabatino recalled. “His manner of teaching and speaking brought everything into focus.”
Dr. Formanek always sought to share his talents and volunteered regularly for medical missions that brought him all over the world to care for those in critical need. In addition to Team Heart, he volunteered with Partners In Health, the Global Smile Foundation and Medical Missions for Children.
After his diagnosis, his colleagues wanted to give something back to the man who gave them so much. They formed a team in the Pan Mass Challenge in his honor, which has raised more than $250,000 for cancer research and treatment. Plans are underway for another “Team Vlad” ride this year, this time in the physician’s memory.
“When Vlad got sick, he was more concerned about how it would impact his colleagues and how we would feel,” said Fox. “That’s just the kind of person he was, always putting others before himself.”
Dr. Formanek was especially kind to new residents to the department. A gifted teacher, he took a genuine interest not only in their careers and skills as physicians, but also in them as people. “Vlad’s legacy will live on both within our department and in the many anesthesiologists around the world who trained here under him,” Muehlschlegel said. “He touched so many people.” Dr. Formanek is survived by his wife, Jamila; mother, Jerry; brother, Michael; sister-in-law, Carol; children Jana, Samia and Joshua; grandson, Adam; and nephew, Michael Jr.
In lieu of flowers and gifts, donations may be made to the Pan-Mass Challenge (“Team Vlad”) or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Dr. Formanek’s name. A BWH memorial service will be held April 22, at 4:30 p.m., in the Bornstein Amphitheater, with a reception to follow in the L1 Anesthesia conference room.