Chris Barnard’s legacy lauded

MARKING 50 years after the world’s best-known heart surgeon, the late Professor Chris Barnard, received the Freedom of the City accolade, the City held a commemorative event at the Civic Centre.

In co-operation with the Cape Medical Museum, they held a lunchtime event to honour Barnard’s legacy.

Municipalities bestow the Freedom of the City upon valued members of the community who have made significant contributions to their society, or upon visiting dignitaries.

Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world’s first heart transplant on December 3, 1967 at the Groote Schuur Hospital.

The programme featured a talk by Professor Peter Zilla, head of the Christiaan Barnard Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the hospital.

Deputy mayor Alderman Ian Neilson officiated at the event.

A person who has received the Freedom of the City also receives an illuminated address suitably inscribed.

The office of the mayor keeps a register of the names, designations and signatures of such persons in a book known as the Book of Honorary Freedom of the City of Cape Town.

Previous Freemen of the City include former president Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, among others.

As part of the commemoration, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa as well as the Organ Donor Foundation offered health risk assessments and gave people the opportunity to register as organ donors throughout the day.

An exhibition by the Cape Medical Museum opened last week on the Concourse Level of the Podium Block at the Cape Town Civic Centre.

The display is open to the public at no cost and residents are encouraged to visit the display.