Richard Mamiya
Richard T. Mamiya (March 8, 1925 – August 27, 2019) was a heart surgeon. He performed the first heart bypass operation in Hawaii.
Early life and education
Mamiya was born on March 8, 1925 in Kalihi, Honolulu, Hawaii. He was a third-generation Japanese American.[1] He attended Saint Louis School, where he played on the football, baseball, and basketball teams. He then earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he played as a quarterback.[2] He had a reputation as a skilled athlete,[3] and was later inducted into the UH Sports Hall of Honor.[4] Mamiya also became student body president,[2] and maintained high grades.[5]
Mamiya's zoology professors encouraged him to go to medical school when he graduated in 1950. He studied medicine at St. Louis University School of Medicine, and specialized in heart surgery. After graduation, he worked for a short time at the St. Louis University,[6] then returned to Hawaii.
Career
Mamiya opened his practice in 1961. In 1965, he helped to establish the John A. Burns School of Medicine.[2]
Mamiya performed the first coronary bypass in Hawaii at Queen's Hospital in 1970. During his career he reduced the amount of time the surgery took from four hours to two while maintaining a mortality rate of less than 1%.[2] He performed more than 30,000 surgeries throughout his career.[4]
Mamiya retired in 1995 and became a philanthropist. Several buildings in Hawaii bear his name, including a theater at Saint Louis School, the science center at the Bishop Museum, and the science center at Punahou School.[7][2]
Mamiya died on August 27, 2019.
References
- "Richard Mamiya", Discover Nikkei, May 11, 2007, retrieved 2019-09-17
- Chinen, Karleen C. (2012). Hawaii's AJA pioneers : one hundred profiles commemorating the centennial of the Hawaii Hochi. Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Hochi Ltd. pp. 156–157.
- Franks, Joel S. (2018-05-04). Asians and Pacific Islanders in American Football: Historical and Contemporary Experiences. Lexington Books. ISBN 9781498560986.
- Altonn, Helen (July 29, 2004). "Legacy of retired Queen's surgeon lives on in the hearts of patients". archives.starbulletin.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
- Nakama, Wes (June 11, 2006). "Mamiya has the heart of a champion". the.honoluluadvertiser.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.
- Shumacker, Harris B. (1992). The Evolution of Cardiac Surgery. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253352217.
- "DR. RICHARD T. MAMIYA | Honolulu Hawaii Obituaries – Hawaii Newspaper Obituaries". obits.staradvertiser.com. Retrieved 2019-09-17.