IN MEMORIAM

 

"In memoriam". José María Segura Cabral

 

 

I never thought that there would come a day when I had to write this letter, perhaps the most difficult to write for me, and also the most difficult to end, for how to say goodbye to a person that you love and admire so much .

On August 20 died Dr. José María Segura Cabral, supported by his family and the staff of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, where he has been working for nearly the last 40 years, his second home.

 

 

He was born in Olivenza (Badajoz, Spain), a fact of which he was very proud. He began at the University of Salamanca his studies of Degree in Medicine, finishing them at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid. He completed his training by the MIR program at the Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, where eventually developed his entire professional life to become Head of Department, a position he held until his retirement in 2013.

Speaking of Dr. Segura Cabral, it is the same as remember the history of Digestive Ultrasonography in Spain. One technique, which he was the pioneer in our specialty. He founded the Spanish Section of the Digestive Ultrasonography subsequently converted in Association and became its first President. He was also Vice President of the Spanish Society of Gastroenterology. From the 80s to the present, he actively participated in numerous Conferences, Symposia, Round Tables and Courses, both national and international.

He wrote several books and monographs on ultrasound, making this technique to expand to many Spanish hospitals. He defended the practice of ultrasound within the specialty of Gastroenterology, before the Health Authorities and the Ministries of Health and Education. It was not easy from scratch, create and apply the normal development of this technique as a diagnostic routine procedure. Thanks to their continued effort and determination, he has left us a prestigious and fabulous inheritance, finally getting that Ultrasound got a fully part of our specialty and was included in the Training Programs of the Spanish Digestive Residency Doctors.

I think he would agree with me, that many of their achievements would not have been possible without the continued support and encouragement of his wife Maria Dolores and her three children (Anna, Elena and Jose María) who knew how wonderfully supported their projects and allowed him to devote all the time that used to spread and defend Ultrasound throughout Spain and several Latin American countries. Following the example of his father, his two daughters decided to study Medicine and also develop ultrasound in different specialties.

All of us that have been fortunate to have learned from him, will be in permanent debt with his great and continuous support and will keep a constant reminder of his extraordinary personality, boundless generosity and permanent teachings received.

The best tribute that we can do from our Institutions and all of us will be to continue fighting tirelessly so that the ultrasound further progress in our specialty.

Although we note his great absence in our Service, he will remain for us the great master reference in ultrasonography, even more so, for all those who have had the good fortune of having been his direct disciples.

Personally I owe a lot. We knew being a medical student. Of all the many memories I have him highlight his boundless optimism, his contagious enthusiasm, his wisdom and his unfailing determination. His words of encouragement and confidence, prompted me to reach as performance today and encourage me constantly in the beautiful task of spreading his great work and always keep his memory alive among us.

My special tribute and big challenge will be the Ultrasound Unit of La Paz has been made, remains a Spanish School of Ultrasound in Gastroenterology.

I take these lines to thank, on behalf of the Service, all messages of sympathy we have received these days, especially Presidents and numerous Members of the Spanish Society of Gastroenterology and the Spanish Association of Digestive Ultrasonography, which was always very close.

I do not want, nor do I need, say goodbye. His work will survive the forgotten and will always present in everyone's memory as a great unique and outstanding teacher who left us an extraordinary example and way to follow.

 

Pedro Mora Sanz

Chief of Gastroenterology Service. Hospital Universitario La Paz. Madrid, Spain