We honour the life Giulio John ‘Dan’ D’Angio, who passed away September 14th at his residence on Rittenhouse Square, aged 96.
Dr. D’Angio was a paediatrician of the first order, contributing to the advancement of paediatric oncology in his professorial capacity at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and as a practitioner at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania.
He was esteemed in his field, responsible for countless achievements in the medical community. His achievements largely speak for themselves, but we shall remember him as an inspiration to the mission of Artemis Association.
Dan was for us a foundational figure who inspired the unique LCH/HLH infrastructure that exists today. Ascending the paediatric field in an era without mass communication or many viable medical solutions, he saw the importance of the relationship not only between doctor and child, but necessarily between doctor and family. His dedication was demonstrable through his relationship-building ethic, a notion that transcended standards of care.
This principle was enshrined in the Nikolas Symposium, which he both inspired and then served as a member of the steering committee for 7 years, from its inception in 1989 until 1995, and was honoured with a Life Membership Award in 2006. When Artemis Association was founded, his examples served as our lodestar. Our commitment to patients and families is but one achievement for which we celebrate him.
In this manner, Dr. D’Angio was one of those rare human beings who had the drive and the audacity to pursue the elevation of standards. His life and career was dedicated to advancing the care of patients. In doing so, he took his field from where it was to heights it had never been. He was, by definition, a visionary.
