Merle A. Sande, MD, a giant in North American and international medicine, died on November 14, 2007, at his home in Seattle, WA, surrounded by his loving wife and devoted children. His death came after a valiant two year battle with multiple myeloma/plasma cell leukemia. The disease ravaged his body but never conquered his spirit. The manner in which he lived with his illness, with dignity and good nature - constantly seeking new experiences and active to the end, was an inspiration to his family and friends.
Sande was born on September 2, 1939 of Norwegian heritage and raised in Mount Vernon, WA, the son of Sigvald Sande, a ferry boat captain, and his wife Clara. He graduated from Washington State University, which he enjoyed referring to as "the Harvard of the West," especially if University of Washington alumni were present, and received his MD degree from the University of Washington, School of Medicine in Seattle. In 1961, Sande married Mary Ann Rygg and had four children, Suzanne, Missy, Eric and Sarah, of whom he was immensely proud.
After training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center and two years stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, Sande joined the faculty at the University of Virginia where he swiftly rose through the academic ranks to become Professor of Medicine and Vice-chair and Acting Chair of the Department of Medicine. In 1980, he accepted the position of Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine of the University of California San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival at SFGH, he and his colleagues began to see seriously ill gay men with unusual infections and cancers, a previously unrecognized syndrome which became known as AIDS and was subsequently found to be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. San Francisco became the center of the AIDS epidemic and Sande became the visionary leader of AIDS care at that center. With his colleagues, he created a ward and clinic for AIDS patients at SFGH and the care, which was pioneered there, became the model for AIDS treatment, emulated elsewhere as the epidemic spread. Sande became one of the leading AIDS experts and clinical researchers in the world. He co-wrote the first AIDS infection control guidelines, co-edited and wrote the first textbook on treatment of AIDS (now in its seventh edition), and became the spokesperson for the science of AIDS. He eventually became the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. While in San Francisco he began an association with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, carrying out a study on AIDS in Uganda sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Sande moved to Salt Lake City in 1996 to become Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. During this time, he developed an exchange program with Makerere University in Uganda, and was the driving force behind the development of the Infectious Diseases Institute ("IDI") in Kampala. The IDI's mission was to train African health care providers in advanced AIDS care and prevention, to conduct African-based research, and to develop models of care. Sande was among the first to emphasize that building health care capacity in Africa had to go hand-in-hand with increasing the availability of drugs. He founded and became president of the Academic Alliance Foundation ("AAF") and co-chair of the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa. Sande recruited leaders in infectious diseases in North America, Europe and Africa to serve on the board of the AAF. Through this vehicle and with major funding from the Pfizer pharmaceutical company, he saw his idea come to fruition. Since 2001, the Academic Alliance and the Infectious Diseases Institute in Kampala have trained nearly 2000 providers from 26 African nations. Each of these providers has trained tens to thousands of additional providers, helping to provide a health care infrastructure critical for the battle against AIDS in Africa. 10,000 patients are enrolled and receiving expert care at the Infectious Diseases Institute itself.
Sande stepped down as Chair at the University of Utah in 2002. He married Jenny Lo in March 2005. They moved to Seattle in September 2005, where he was appointed Professor of Medicine and continued to teach and lead the Academic Alliance Foundation and its program in Africa. His eventually fatal disease was diagnosed in January 2006. Jenny provided immeasurable care and comfort in his last two years.
Sande was renowned as a researcher who created important new information in the treatment of meningitis and endocarditis and on antibiotic-resistant infections and the emergence of "super-bugs" as a public health threat as well as on AIDS. He edited the widely utilized Sanford Guide for the treatment of infectious diseases and contributed to many textbooks. He was a legendary teacher who excelled at teaching at the bedside, bringing his deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to the benefit of his patients and students. The excitement he generated for clinical medicine influenced generations of physicians.
Among his many awards are Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both Washington State University and the University of Washington, the American Medical Writer's Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Contribution to Health Care in Uganda, and the Alexander Fleming Award (named after the discoverer of penicillin) – the highest award bestowed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Although Sande left his mark on American and global medicine through his teaching, research, writing, administration and visionary leadership, his family and myriad of friends primarily remember him for the strength and warmth of his personality, his enthusiasm for life, his many endearing qualities which more than balanced his foibles – many of which were endearing in themselves, and the enjoyment, fun and excitement that he constantly generated around him. He refused to let protocol hinder his quest for improving health care in his professional life or for enjoying the moment in his personal life.
Sande is survived by his wife, Jenny Lo, of Seattle, his former wife, Mary Ann Sande, of Everett, his four children: Suzanne Sande Mrlik and her husband Richard and their three sons, Alexander Sande, John Sande, and Matthew Sande of San Francisco, CA; Missy Sande Collins and her husband Ken and their three sons, Jack, Eric and McRae of Lake Stevens, WA; Eric Sande and his wife Maury Boswell and their son Bowen of Alameda, CA; and Sarah Sande and her partner Joe Poletto and their daughter Lily Sande Poletto of Glen Ellen, CA; and his sister and brother-in-law Carri and Jim Nielsen of Williamsburg, VA.
Sande was born on September 2, 1939 of Norwegian heritage and raised in Mount Vernon, WA, the son of Sigvald Sande, a ferry boat captain, and his wife Clara. He graduated from Washington State University, which he enjoyed referring to as "the Harvard of the West," especially if University of Washington alumni were present, and received his MD degree from the University of Washington, School of Medicine in Seattle. In 1961, Sande married Mary Ann Rygg and had four children, Suzanne, Missy, Eric and Sarah, of whom he was immensely proud.
After training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center and two years stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, Sande joined the faculty at the University of Virginia where he swiftly rose through the academic ranks to become Professor of Medicine and Vice-chair and Acting Chair of the Department of Medicine. In 1980, he accepted the position of Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine of the University of California San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival at SFGH, he and his colleagues began to see seriously ill gay men with unusual infections and cancers, a previously unrecognized syndrome which became known as AIDS and was subsequently found to be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. San Francisco became the center of the AIDS epidemic and Sande became the visionary leader of AIDS care at that center. With his colleagues, he created a ward and clinic for AIDS patients at SFGH and the care, which was pioneered there, became the model for AIDS treatment, emulated elsewhere as the epidemic spread. Sande became one of the leading AIDS experts and clinical researchers in the world. He co-wrote the first AIDS infection control guidelines, co-edited and wrote the first textbook on treatment of AIDS (now in its seventh edition), and became the spokesperson for the science of AIDS. He eventually became the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. While in San Francisco he began an association with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, carrying out a study on AIDS in Uganda sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Sande moved to Salt Lake City in 1996 to become Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. During this time, he developed an exchange program with Makerere University in Uganda, and was the driving force behind the development of the Infectious Diseases Institute ("IDI") in Kampala. The IDI's mission was to train African health care providers in advanced AIDS care and prevention, to conduct African-based research, and to develop models of care. Sande was among the first to emphasize that building health care capacity in Africa had to go hand-in-hand with increasing the availability of drugs. He founded and became president of the Academic Alliance Foundation ("AAF") and co-chair of the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa. Sande recruited leaders in infectious diseases in North America, Europe and Africa to serve on the board of the AAF. Through this vehicle and with major funding from the Pfizer pharmaceutical company, he saw his idea come to fruition. Since 2001, the Academic Alliance and the Infectious Diseases Institute in Kampala have trained nearly 2000 providers from 26 African nations. Each of these providers has trained tens to thousands of additional providers, helping to provide a health care infrastructure critical for the battle against AIDS in Africa. 10,000 patients are enrolled and receiving expert care at the Infectious Diseases Institute itself.
Sande stepped down as Chair at the University of Utah in 2002. He married Jenny Lo in March 2005. They moved to Seattle in September 2005, where he was appointed Professor of Medicine and continued to teach and lead the Academic Alliance Foundation and its program in Africa. His eventually fatal disease was diagnosed in January 2006. Jenny provided immeasurable care and comfort in his last two years.
Sande was renowned as a researcher who created important new information in the treatment of meningitis and endocarditis and on antibiotic-resistant infections and the emergence of "super-bugs" as a public health threat as well as on AIDS. He edited the widely utilized Sanford Guide for the treatment of infectious diseases and contributed to many textbooks. He was a legendary teacher who excelled at teaching at the bedside, bringing his deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to the benefit of his patients and students. The excitement he generated for clinical medicine influenced generations of physicians.
Among his many awards are Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both Washington State University and the University of Washington, the American Medical Writer's Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Contribution to Health Care in Uganda, and the Alexander Fleming Award (named after the discoverer of penicillin) – the highest award bestowed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Although Sande left his mark on American and global medicine through his teaching, research, writing, administration and visionary leadership, his family and myriad of friends primarily remember him for the strength and warmth of his personality, his enthusiasm for life, his many endearing qualities which more than balanced his foibles – many of which were endearing in themselves, and the enjoyment, fun and excitement that he constantly generated around him. He refused to let protocol hinder his quest for improving health care in his professional life or for enjoying the moment in his personal life.
Sande is survived by his wife, Jenny Lo, of Seattle, his former wife, Mary Ann Sande, of Everett, his four children: Suzanne Sande Mrlik and her husband Richard and their three sons, Alexander Sande, John Sande, and Matthew Sande of San Francisco, CA; Missy Sande Collins and her husband Ken and their three sons, Jack, Eric and McRae of Lake Stevens, WA; Eric Sande and his wife Maury Boswell and their son Bowen of Alameda, CA; and Sarah Sande and her partner Joe Poletto and their daughter Lily Sande Poletto of Glen Ellen, CA; and his sister and brother-in-law Carri and Jim Nielsen of Williamsburg, VA.
Merle A. Sande, MD, a giant in North American and international medicine, died on November 14, 2007, at his home in Seattle, WA, surrounded by his loving wife and devoted children. His death came after a valiant two year battle with multiple myeloma/plasma cell leukemia. The disease ravaged his body but never conquered his spirit. The manner in which he lived with his illness, with dignity and good nature - constantly seeking new experiences and active to the end, was an inspiration to his family and friends.
Sande was born on September 2, 1939 of Norwegian heritage and raised in Mount Vernon, WA, the son of Sigvald Sande, a ferry boat captain, and his wife Clara. He graduated from Washington State University, which he enjoyed referring to as "the Harvard of the West," especially if University of Washington alumni were present, and received his MD degree from the University of Washington, School of Medicine in Seattle. In 1961, Sande married Mary Ann Rygg and had four children, Suzanne, Missy, Eric and Sarah, of whom he was immensely proud.
After training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center and two years stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, Sande joined the faculty at the University of Virginia where he swiftly rose through the academic ranks to become Professor of Medicine and Vice-chair and Acting Chair of the Department of Medicine. In 1980, he accepted the position of Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine of the University of California San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival at SFGH, he and his colleagues began to see seriously ill gay men with unusual infections and cancers, a previously unrecognized syndrome which became known as AIDS and was subsequently found to be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. San Francisco became the center of the AIDS epidemic and Sande became the visionary leader of AIDS care at that center. With his colleagues, he created a ward and clinic for AIDS patients at SFGH and the care, which was pioneered there, became the model for AIDS treatment, emulated elsewhere as the epidemic spread. Sande became one of the leading AIDS experts and clinical researchers in the world. He co-wrote the first AIDS infection control guidelines, co-edited and wrote the first textbook on treatment of AIDS (now in its seventh edition), and became the spokesperson for the science of AIDS. He eventually became the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. While in San Francisco he began an association with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, carrying out a study on AIDS in Uganda sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Sande moved to Salt Lake City in 1996 to become Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. During this time, he developed an exchange program with Makerere University in Uganda, and was the driving force behind the development of the Infectious Diseases Institute ("IDI") in Kampala. The IDI's mission was to train African health care providers in advanced AIDS care and prevention, to conduct African-based research, and to develop models of care. Sande was among the first to emphasize that building health care capacity in Africa had to go hand-in-hand with increasing the availability of drugs. He founded and became president of the Academic Alliance Foundation ("AAF") and co-chair of the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa. Sande recruited leaders in infectious diseases in North America, Europe and Africa to serve on the board of the AAF. Through this vehicle and with major funding from the Pfizer pharmaceutical company, he saw his idea come to fruition. Since 2001, the Academic Alliance and the Infectious Diseases Institute in Kampala have trained nearly 2000 providers from 26 African nations. Each of these providers has trained tens to thousands of additional providers, helping to provide a health care infrastructure critical for the battle against AIDS in Africa. 10,000 patients are enrolled and receiving expert care at the Infectious Diseases Institute itself.
Sande stepped down as Chair at the University of Utah in 2002. He married Jenny Lo in March 2005. They moved to Seattle in September 2005, where he was appointed Professor of Medicine and continued to teach and lead the Academic Alliance Foundation and its program in Africa. His eventually fatal disease was diagnosed in January 2006. Jenny provided immeasurable care and comfort in his last two years.
Sande was renowned as a researcher who created important new information in the treatment of meningitis and endocarditis and on antibiotic-resistant infections and the emergence of "super-bugs" as a public health threat as well as on AIDS. He edited the widely utilized Sanford Guide for the treatment of infectious diseases and contributed to many textbooks. He was a legendary teacher who excelled at teaching at the bedside, bringing his deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to the benefit of his patients and students. The excitement he generated for clinical medicine influenced generations of physicians.
Among his many awards are Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both Washington State University and the University of Washington, the American Medical Writer's Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Contribution to Health Care in Uganda, and the Alexander Fleming Award (named after the discoverer of penicillin) – the highest award bestowed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Although Sande left his mark on American and global medicine through his teaching, research, writing, administration and visionary leadership, his family and myriad of friends primarily remember him for the strength and warmth of his personality, his enthusiasm for life, his many endearing qualities which more than balanced his foibles – many of which were endearing in themselves, and the enjoyment, fun and excitement that he constantly generated around him. He refused to let protocol hinder his quest for improving health care in his professional life or for enjoying the moment in his personal life.
Sande is survived by his wife, Jenny Lo, of Seattle, his former wife, Mary Ann Sande, of Everett, his four children: Suzanne Sande Mrlik and her husband Richard and their three sons, Alexander Sande, John Sande, and Matthew Sande of San Francisco, CA; Missy Sande Collins and her husband Ken and their three sons, Jack, Eric and McRae of Lake Stevens, WA; Eric Sande and his wife Maury Boswell and their son Bowen of Alameda, CA; and Sarah Sande and her partner Joe Poletto and their daughter Lily Sande Poletto of Glen Ellen, CA; and his sister and brother-in-law Carri and Jim Nielsen of Williamsburg, VA.
Sande was born on September 2, 1939 of Norwegian heritage and raised in Mount Vernon, WA, the son of Sigvald Sande, a ferry boat captain, and his wife Clara. He graduated from Washington State University, which he enjoyed referring to as "the Harvard of the West," especially if University of Washington alumni were present, and received his MD degree from the University of Washington, School of Medicine in Seattle. In 1961, Sande married Mary Ann Rygg and had four children, Suzanne, Missy, Eric and Sarah, of whom he was immensely proud.
After training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at The New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center and two years stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, Sande joined the faculty at the University of Virginia where he swiftly rose through the academic ranks to become Professor of Medicine and Vice-chair and Acting Chair of the Department of Medicine. In 1980, he accepted the position of Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine of the University of California San Francisco. Shortly after his arrival at SFGH, he and his colleagues began to see seriously ill gay men with unusual infections and cancers, a previously unrecognized syndrome which became known as AIDS and was subsequently found to be caused by the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. San Francisco became the center of the AIDS epidemic and Sande became the visionary leader of AIDS care at that center. With his colleagues, he created a ward and clinic for AIDS patients at SFGH and the care, which was pioneered there, became the model for AIDS treatment, emulated elsewhere as the epidemic spread. Sande became one of the leading AIDS experts and clinical researchers in the world. He co-wrote the first AIDS infection control guidelines, co-edited and wrote the first textbook on treatment of AIDS (now in its seventh edition), and became the spokesperson for the science of AIDS. He eventually became the president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. While in San Francisco he began an association with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, carrying out a study on AIDS in Uganda sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Sande moved to Salt Lake City in 1996 to become Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah. During this time, he developed an exchange program with Makerere University in Uganda, and was the driving force behind the development of the Infectious Diseases Institute ("IDI") in Kampala. The IDI's mission was to train African health care providers in advanced AIDS care and prevention, to conduct African-based research, and to develop models of care. Sande was among the first to emphasize that building health care capacity in Africa had to go hand-in-hand with increasing the availability of drugs. He founded and became president of the Academic Alliance Foundation ("AAF") and co-chair of the Academic Alliance for AIDS Care and Prevention in Africa. Sande recruited leaders in infectious diseases in North America, Europe and Africa to serve on the board of the AAF. Through this vehicle and with major funding from the Pfizer pharmaceutical company, he saw his idea come to fruition. Since 2001, the Academic Alliance and the Infectious Diseases Institute in Kampala have trained nearly 2000 providers from 26 African nations. Each of these providers has trained tens to thousands of additional providers, helping to provide a health care infrastructure critical for the battle against AIDS in Africa. 10,000 patients are enrolled and receiving expert care at the Infectious Diseases Institute itself.
Sande stepped down as Chair at the University of Utah in 2002. He married Jenny Lo in March 2005. They moved to Seattle in September 2005, where he was appointed Professor of Medicine and continued to teach and lead the Academic Alliance Foundation and its program in Africa. His eventually fatal disease was diagnosed in January 2006. Jenny provided immeasurable care and comfort in his last two years.
Sande was renowned as a researcher who created important new information in the treatment of meningitis and endocarditis and on antibiotic-resistant infections and the emergence of "super-bugs" as a public health threat as well as on AIDS. He edited the widely utilized Sanford Guide for the treatment of infectious diseases and contributed to many textbooks. He was a legendary teacher who excelled at teaching at the bedside, bringing his deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to the benefit of his patients and students. The excitement he generated for clinical medicine influenced generations of physicians.
Among his many awards are Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both Washington State University and the University of Washington, the American Medical Writer's Award, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for Contribution to Health Care in Uganda, and the Alexander Fleming Award (named after the discoverer of penicillin) – the highest award bestowed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Although Sande left his mark on American and global medicine through his teaching, research, writing, administration and visionary leadership, his family and myriad of friends primarily remember him for the strength and warmth of his personality, his enthusiasm for life, his many endearing qualities which more than balanced his foibles – many of which were endearing in themselves, and the enjoyment, fun and excitement that he constantly generated around him. He refused to let protocol hinder his quest for improving health care in his professional life or for enjoying the moment in his personal life.
Sande is survived by his wife, Jenny Lo, of Seattle, his former wife, Mary Ann Sande, of Everett, his four children: Suzanne Sande Mrlik and her husband Richard and their three sons, Alexander Sande, John Sande, and Matthew Sande of San Francisco, CA; Missy Sande Collins and her husband Ken and their three sons, Jack, Eric and McRae of Lake Stevens, WA; Eric Sande and his wife Maury Boswell and their son Bowen of Alameda, CA; and Sarah Sande and her partner Joe Poletto and their daughter Lily Sande Poletto of Glen Ellen, CA; and his sister and brother-in-law Carri and Jim Nielsen of Williamsburg, VA.
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