Remembering the Gentle Legend

My first brush with Kawasaki disease was as a student in 1996 when a case was presented as a rarity in a clinical meeting. After that we were diagnosing the occassional cases at some intervals, often with some cynicism.

In 2005, we heard that the man himself was visiting Chandigarh for the national conference of the Indian Pediatric Rheumatology Society. He delivered the society’s Oration and we were witnessing history infront of our eyes. The atmosphere in the auditorium was charged and he finished to a standing ovation; several rounds of applause to be precise. The perception of KD in India was never the same again.

Time passed and with every passing year we found ourselves more in love with this enigmatic disease. In 2018 again there was the opportunity of meeting the legend in person at Yokohama. He looked a little frail, but there was still the mischievous glint in his eyes.

Will remember him as the Humane legend.