Marcel "Marc" Alter Baltzan, (October 31, 1929 – January 1, 2005) was a Canadian
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and
nephrologist who was a pioneer in the field of
kidney
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...
research. He was a member of the team that performed Canada's second kidney transplant in
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
in 1964.
Life
Born in
Saskatoon
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
,
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
, the son of David M. Baltzan and Rose Cristall, Baltzan received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1949 and a medical degree in 1953 from
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
.
He further studied at
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. It was founded in 1889 using money from a bequest of over $7 million (1873 mo ...
and returned to Saskatoon in 1959 to set up a private practice with his father and two brothers.
Marc had three children: Dr Marc Baltzan Jr, Frances Baltzan and Beth Baltzan.
He introduced kidney replacement therapy to Saskatoon with the first kidney dialysis unit at Saskatoon's St. Paul's Hospital, then kidney transplants in 1963. He was also politically active in the genesis of medicare and its evolution in the second half of the twentieth century.
He was president of the
Canadian Medical Association
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA; french: Association médicale canadienne, AMC) is a national, voluntary association of physicians and medical learners that advocates on national health matters. Its primary mandate is to drive positive ch ...
, president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association and chair of the department of medicine at the
University of Saskatchewan
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
.
Honours
In 1995, he was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
in recognition for being "a pioneer in the field of kidney research". In 1999, he was awarded the
Saskatchewan Order of Merit and was made a Master of the
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians (ACP) is a national organization of internists, who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of adults.Sokanu "What is an Internist?" Retrieved October 20, 2014 With 161,000 members, ACP is the largest ...
.
In 2004, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Saskatchewan.
Death
On January 1, 2005 he died in his sleep in
Saskatoon
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
,
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
due to heart disease.
References
External links
Marc Baltzanat the Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baltzan, Marc
1929 births
2005 deaths
McGill University Faculty of Medicine alumni
Members of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit
Canadian nephrologists
Officers of the Order of Canada
People from Saskatoon