Victor Chang

Chang was born in 1936 in Shanghai to Australian-born Chinese-British parents. He grew up in Hong Kong, where he attended primary school in Kowloon Tong and spent two years in St. Paul's College.Kennard, J R (2008). "[http://www.spc.edu.hk/upload_files/na/587_20080908.pdf Assembly 8 September 2008]". St. Paul's College. Accessed 9 July 2009. On 7 April 1948, Chang's mother died from breast cancer at the age of 33, prompting him to consider a career in medicine at the age of 12.

Chang's father Aubrey sent him and his younger sister to Sydney in 1951 to stay with extended family. He attended Belmore Boys' High School in Belmore. He completed his secondary education at Christian Brothers' High School in Lewisham. He undertook his tertiary education at the University of Sydney, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Science with First-Class Honours and a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1962."[http://www.victorchang.edu.au/pdfs/SchoolDrVictorChang.pdf School Project Material] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821040531/http://www.victorchang.edu.au/pdfs/SchoolDrVictorChang.pdf |date=21 August 2010 }}". Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Accessed 16 August 2009.

After completing his medical education, Chang interned at St Vincent's Hospital under cardiac surgeon Mark Shanahan, who sent him to London to train with British surgeon Aubrey York Mason.Stephens, Tony (9 August 2008). "[http://www.smh.com.au/news/obituaries/braveheart-surgeon-pioneer-and-teacher/2008/08/08/1218139072415.html?page=fullpage Braveheart surgeon, pioneer and teacher]". The Sydney Morning Herald. Accessed 18 August 2009.

Chang became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1966 and trained in cardiothoracic surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital. In London, he met and married his wife Ann (née Simmons)."[http://www.cambridge.edu.au/Education/resource/work_1_539471.pdf Victor Chang] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426001034/http://www.cambridge.edu.au/Education/resource/work_1_539471.pdf |date=26 April 2012 }}". Cambridge University Press. Accessed 29 May 2010.

Chang spent two years in the United States at the Mayo Clinic and became chief resident. In 1972, he returned to St Vincent's Hospital, where he was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and was appointed Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1973 and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1975.

At St. Vincent's Hospital, Chang worked with surgeon Harry Windsor, who had performed Australia's first heart transplant in 1968. The advent of anti-rejection drugs in 1980 made heart transplants more feasible, and Chang lobbied to raise funds to establish a heart transplant program at St. Vincent's. On 8 April 1984, a team of doctors, led by Chang, operated on 14-year-old Fiona Coote, who became Australia's youngest heart transplant patient.Cooke, Karen (9 April 1984). "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GVYRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2284%2C3942362 Fiona, 14, critical after heart transplant]". The Age: p. 1. Accessed 26 November 2009.{{cite web|url=http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Chang,_Victor_P|title=Chang, Victor P|publisher=University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine Online Museum and Archive}}

Between 1984 and 1990, Chang's unit performed over 197 heart transplants and 14 heart–lung transplants. The unit had a high rate of success, with 90% of those receiving transplants from the unit surviving beyond the first year. In 1986, Victor Chang was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) "in recognition of service to international relations between Australia and China and to medical science"."[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/882105 Search Australian Honours]". It's an Honour. Accessed 9 July 2009.

Concerned about a shortage of organ donors, Chang led the assembly of a team of scientists, engineers, and marketing specialists to develop an artificial heart and manufacture inexpensive heart valves.{{cite web|url=http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/objectsthroughtime/1991-victor-changs-st-vincents-heart-valve/index.html|publisher=New South Wales Government Migration Heritage Centre|title=1991 Dr. Victor Chang's St Vincent's Heart Valve|access-date=30 April 2021}} In 1980, he met Frank Tamru, who acted as a marketing and sales specialist, while he worked for Shiley Laboratories in Singapore. Together with engineers Richard Martin and Brij Gupta, Chang and Tamru founded Pacific Biomedical Enterprises Ltd., which is headquartered in Singapore and set up facilities to develop mechanical and tissue heart valves, called St. Vincent's Heart Valves, in Guangzhou and Sydney. The valves were widely used throughout Asia.

File:Victor Chang bronze statue Klarfeld.JPG

On the morning of 4 July 1991, Chang was shot twice in the head in a failed extortion attempt.Agence France-Presse (23 December 1992). "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mbcTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C5ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3550,977354 Two Malaysians Jailed for Killing Heart Surgeon]". New Straits Times: p. 1. Accessed 18 August 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13117773-600-pioneer-killed/|title=Pioneer killed|publisher=New Scientist|date=13 July 1991}} His body was found slumped in the gutter next to his Mercedes-Benz 500 SL in the Sydney suburb of Mosman."[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=DSNB&d_place=DSNB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F36012B09AC71A9&p_field_direct-0=document_id Top Australian Surgeon Shot to Death in Argument]". Deseret News (4 July 1991). NewsLibrary.com. Accessed 18 August 2009. Two Malaysian men, Chew Seng (Ah Sung) Liew and Choon Tee (Phillip) Lim,"[https://archive.today/20120717010425/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/27/2724896.htm Dr. Victor Chang's murderer set for release]". ABC News (27 October 2009). Accessed 31 October 2009. picked Chang at random from a magazine featuring Asians who had "made it good" in Australia. They ran their Toyota Corolla into Chang's vehicle, forcing him to pull over. After getting into an argument with Chang, who refused to give them money, Liew fired the fatal shots. The first shot entered near the right cheek and exited below the right ear while the fatal second, fired from point-blank range, entered the right temple and passed through the brain. Police investigators initially suspected the involvement of Triad syndicates but later concluded the killing was an amateur act.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/in-the-herald-july-6-1991-20150629-gi0gcp|title=In the Herald: July 6, 1991 – Blackmailers kill heart surgeon|author=Stephanie Bull|date=7 June 1991|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

Liew pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 26 years in prison with a non-parole period of 20 years. Lim, who pleaded not guilty and claimed he did not know Liew had a firearm, received a sentence of 18 to 24 years. Another man, Stanley Ng, abandoned the extortion plan a day before the murder. He had unsuccessfully tried detaining Chang twice to force him to give $3 million. Ng was granted immunity for his evidence. The prosecution alleged the plan had been to abduct Chang, tie him up with his family at his home in Clontarf, and threaten to hang them to coerce Chang into withdrawing money from the bank. In his ruling, Supreme Court Judge John Slattery stated, "It was an absurd, improbable plan, always doomed to failure".

On 26 October 2009, Lim was granted parole. Following a public outcry and objection by the New South Wales Corrective Services Minister, John Robertson, his release was put on hold, pending another parole hearing."[https://web.archive.org/web/20091029013749/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/27/2725533.htm Victor Chang killer's parole put on hold]". ABC News. 27 October 2009. Accessed 27 October 2009. The New South Wales Supreme Court ruled that the Parole Authority lacked the power to rescind their previous parole decision.{{cite web |last1=Arlington |first1=Kim |title=Chang killer entitled to parole |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/chang-killer-entitled-to-parole-20100216-o8z8.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=21 November 2023 |language=en |date=16 February 2010}} Lim was freed from Parramatta Correctional Centre on 1 March 2010 into the custody of immigration officers waiting outside. He was to be deported back to Kuala Lumpur on 2 March, but the flight was canceled for technical reasons."[http://www.news.com.au/national/chang-killer-deported-from-australia/story-e6frfkx0-1225836251303 Chang killer Phillip Lim's deportation flight delayed to Malaysia]" (2 March 2010). AAP. Accessed 2 March 2010. He was flown out of Australia on 3 March."[http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=99892 Killer of famed Australian surgeon deported]". thenews.com.pk. 3 March 2010. Accessed 3 March 2010.

After 21 years in prison, Liew was granted parole. In his parole hearing, he made a broad apology for the crime and stated that he believed that his long term in prison had had a good effect.{{Cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/true-crime-scene/parole-for-dr-victor-changs-murderer-chiew-seng-liew/story-fnat7jnn-1226477586707 |title=Parole for Dr. Victor Chang's murderer Chiew Seng Liew |author=Amy Dale |access-date=13 March 2013 |date=20 September 2012 |newspaper=Herald Sun}} There was a small objection from NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith; however, this was retracted, and Liew was released from prison on 12 October 2012 and was met by immigration officers. He was sent back to Malaysia the next day.{{Cite news |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/changs-killer-arrives-back-in-malaysia/oclp2r10q |title=Chang killer arrives back in Malaysia |access-date=21 November 2023 |date=13 October 2012 |newspaper=Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)}}

Chang was given a state funeral. He was cremated and his ashes were buried under a memorial plaque at Green Park, Darlinghurst, opposite St Vincent's Hospital."[http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/medicine/display/20992-victor-chang/photo/5 Victor Chang]". Monument Australia. Accessed 30 August 2018. His manner of death is described in the Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute website as a "tragic circumstance".{{Cite web|title=About Dr. Victor Chang|url=https://www.victorchang.edu.au/about-us/victor-chang|access-date=27 February 2021|website=The Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute|language=en-US}}

In April 2012, Australia Post released a commemorative postcard and postage stamp featuring a portrait of Dr Chang.{{cite web |title=Postcard and stamp, Dr Victor Chang AC |url=https://collections.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/objects/24690/postcard-and-stamp-dr-victor-chang-ac |date=2012 |website=Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Museums at The University of Melbourne Collection Online |access-date=1 July 2024 |language=en}}

File:Victor Chang, Circular Quay, 2017 (01).jpg, 2017]]

In 1984, Chang founded the Victor Chang Foundation to grant funds in two areas he felt passionate about: education and innovation in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery. The foundation continues today under the leadership of his daughter Vanessa Chang.

On 15 February 1994, the Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, a body intended to focus on researching "the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart muscle diseases,""[http://www.victorchang.edu.au/public/Supporters.cfm?cid=55 Supporters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911134820/http://www.victorchang.edu.au/public/Supporters.cfm?cid=55 |date=11 September 2009 }}". Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Accessed 18 August 2009. was launched by Prime Minister Paul Keating with Kerry Packer as its patron."[http://www.victorchang.edu.au/public/WorldClassFacility.cfm?cid=38 The Development of a World Class Research Facility] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918224813/http://www.victorchang.edu.au/public/WorldClassFacility.cfm?cid=38 |date=18 September 2009 }}". Dr. Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Accessed 18 August 2009. The Dr. Victor Chang Science Labs in Christian Brothers' High School are named after him."[http://www.cbhslewisham.nsw.edu.au/annualreport/index.php?section=23 CBHS Annual Report to the Community]". Christian Brothers' High School Lewisham (2008). Accessed 18 August 2009.

In 1999, Prime Minister John Howard announced Chang as Australian of the Century at the People's Choice Awards after a decision between two Australian larrikins and two lifesavers. Swimmer Dawn Fraser, cricketer Donald Bradman, and ophthalmologist Fred Hollows were other contenders.Mealey, Rachel (20 November 1999). "[http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s67484.htm Dr. Victor Chang named Australian of the century]". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Accessed 9 July 2009.

In St Vincent's Hospital, the Dr. Victor Chang Lowy Packer Building was established in 2008 with $35 million from the state government and $45 million in corporate and private donations.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/marching-marys-morris-di-lemma/story-e6freuzi-1111117389099 |title=Princess Mary marches with Amber and mangles Morris |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Australia |date=4 September 2008 |access-date=17 August 2009}} Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark officially opened the building and declared that Chang "was an original thinker and saw the need for research and the development of heart assist devices and, not least, he is known for his legendary caring for his patients and their families".{{cite news |author=Tovey, Josephine |date=3 September 2008 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/09/03/1220121292786.html |title=Princess Mary opens Dr. Victor Chang centre |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=9 July 2009}} In Time magazine's "A Golden Anniversary" article, which lists people who have shaped the last "50 Years in the South Pacific" (1959–2009), Chang was listed as the figure of 1979–1989.

In 2017, a Sydney Ferries Emerald-class ferry was named Dr. Victor Chang."[https://web.archive.org/web/20171004191752/https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroom-and-events/articles/victor-chang-joins-sydneys-ferry-fleet Victor Chang joins Sydney's ferry fleet]". Transport for New South Wales. 18 August 2017. Accessed 7 October 2017. Minor planet 24450 was named after him.{{Cite web|url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=24450|title=Small-Body Database Lookup|website=ssd.jpl.nasa.gov}} On 21 November 2023, Google celebrated his 87th birthday with a Google Doodle.{{cite web|title=Dr. Victor Chang's 87th Birthday|url=https://doodles.google/doodle/dr-victor-changs-87th-birthday/|website=Google|date=21 November 2023|access-date=21 November 2023}}

Chang met his wife Ann Simmons in 1966. He was the on-call emergency physician at St. Anthony's Hospital in North Cheam, London, where Ann took herself after being taken unwell at a party.{{cite book| last = Chang| first = Vanessa| title = Victor Chang: A Tribute to My Father| year = 2001| publisher = Pan| isbn = 978-0-330-36322-8 }} They had 3 children: Vanessa, Matthew, and Marcus.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/dr-victor-changs-murderer-takes-an-island-break/story-e6freuy9-1225837509721|title=Dr Victor Chang's murderer takes an island break|first=Clementine|last=Cumeo|date=6 March 2010|work=The Telegraph}}

According to his children, he enjoyed driving, saying that cars "provided a chance for Dad to get away from it all; they were his hobby and his opportunity to relax". He restored a 1950s MG TF, and enjoyed the opportunity to vigorously drive many cars, including his 1982 Citroën CX Prestige and several Porsches.

Chang had two younger siblings: sister Frances and brother Anthony. He was not religious but was known to ask the hospital's nun, Sister Bernice, to say a prayer for his patients and was known for his compassion.

{{Reflist|25em}}

• {{cite book| last = Butler| first = Mark| title = Victor Chang: Healer of Hearts| year = 1997| publisher = Reed Library – Cardigan Street| isbn = 978-1-86391-582-3 }}
• {{cite book| last = Chang| first = Vanessa| title = Victor Chang: A Tribute to My Father| year = 2001| publisher = Pan| isbn = 978-0-330-36322-8 }}
• {{cite book| last = Stephenson| first = Ron| title = Victor Chang: Murder of a Hero| year = 2005| publisher = New Holland| isbn = 978-1-74110-321-2 }}
• Margaret Harris, [http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/chang-victor-peter-14816 "Chang, Victor Peter (1936–1991)"], Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
• {{cite book| last = Hall| first = Richard| title = Tiger General, The Killing of Victor Chang| year = 1995| publisher = Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd.| isbn = 0-330-35676-3}}

• [http://www.victorchang.edu.au Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute]
• [https://victorchangfoundation.com.au Victor Chang Foundation]
• [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=PureSearch&db=PubMed&term=%28%28Chang%20VP%5BAuthor%20Name%5D%29%20NOT%20Pennsylvania%5Bad%5D%29 Victor Chang publications] on PubMed

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chang, Victor}}

Category:1936 births

Category:1991 deaths

Category:20th-century Australian medical doctors

Category:20th-century surgeons

Category:Alumni of St. Paul's College, Hong Kong

Category:Australian cardiac surgeons

Category:Australian expatriates in England

Category:Australian expatriates in the United States

Category:Australian medical researchers

Category:Australian murder victims

Category:Australian people of Chinese descent

Category:Companions of the Order of Australia

Category:Deaths by firearm in New South Wales

Category:Mayo Clinic people

Category:Murder in Sydney

Category:People from Shanghai

Category:People murdered in Sydney

Category:Sydney Medical School alumni

Category:People educated at Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham