Respiratory Medicine (2011) 105, 1769

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/locate/rmed

OBITUARY

Philippe Godard 1948e2011, Associate Editor

Philippe Godard who was born on March 5th, 1948 in LaPeyrade, France, died on July 31st after a long and coura-geous battle with cancer.

After studying medicine, Philippe became a resident inMontpellier and went to Montreal where he started hisinternational reputation as a pulmonologist before he spe-cialised in chest medicine and became professor of medi-cine and eventually head of the department of pulmonologyat the University of Montpellier in 2001. He served inmultiple functions in almost all societies in France devotedto pulmonary medicine and allergology with great successand eventually became the president of the Societe dePneumologie de Langue Francaise, one of the most highlyrespected societies in the field. But Philippe was also theface of French pulmonology internationally. He was notonly a member of most international societies, but servedin the European Respiratory Society as member of theexecutive committee, as Assembly Secretary and Chairmanof the ERS school. In addition, he was vice president ofInterasma and as its president organized a most successfulWorld Asthma Congress 1996 in Montpellier. His scientificachievements have made a big impact in the field ofasthma, allergology and chest medicine. There are morethan 234 publications listed on-line which he authored orco-authored and there are uncounted students, residents

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and specialists who learned pulmonary medicine from him.Internationally, he was an active contributor to interna-tional guidelines such as the WHO-endorsed ARIA andserved on numerous research networks and scientificboards. Philippe was not only an ad hoc reviewer for all therelevant journals in his field, but he was also on theeditorial board of many. For Respiratory Medicine, heserved as Associate Editor from 2003 where our pathscrossed. It has always been a great privilege to work withhim. He was always kind and friendly, a true Frenchgentleman. His scientific understanding and cunningthinking together with his vast knowledge made him a greatcontributor to any discussion in which he also displayeda lovely, highly intellectual humour. It was with greatsadness that we had to learn that Philippe suffered fromcancer. He took on this battle with great bravery and trustin the very high-tech medicine he had been practicing andadvocating in all of his professional career. Apart from allhis professional attributes which were already admirableenough, I got to know Philippe as a good and reliable friendand a dedicated father to a family of 5 children. His kindcaring and advice will be missed not only by them but alsoby his friends, his colleagues and his patients, many ofwhich he was able to save from the very fate that he had tosuffer. France, as well as the international medicalcommunity, has lost one of their greatest in respiratorymedicine. This would be sad enough but many of us havealso lost a good friend, too. It was a great honour andprivilege to know Philippe and to have worked with him.Our sincere sympathies go to his wife, Florence and hischildren Alexia, Remi, Patrice, Daphnee and Benjamin whohave always supported him in his career.

J. Christian VirchowChief Editor