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Memorial Held for William J. Harrington, Jr., M.D.

4/24/2009

Amid classical guitar music and a slide show of personal photos, more than 150 friends, family and colleagues gathered to remember the life and work of William J. Harrington, Jr., M.D.  A special memorial was held late Friday, April 17th at Jackson Memorial Hospital to honor Harrington, who died unexpectedly in late January at the age of 54.

Before anyone ever spoke, the personal photos that rotated around the screens painted the picture of a man who clearly loved adventure and being outdoors.   Many of the pictures were with friends and colleagues, taken on a tropical beach, under a tiki hut, in a rainforest, and even with a wild animal nearby.  Others were with friends at a football game, with his beloved ’Canes, of course.  Harrington was, as many remarked, a Miami boy who loved UM.

“You can really feel the presence of William J. Harrington, Jr.,” said W. Jarrard Goodwin, M.D., director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center where Harrington founded the Viral Oncology Program.  Goodwin said Harrington cared about people, “especially those who needed us most.”

Thomas J. Le Blanc, Ph.D., provost of the University of Miami, and Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School, were among the first to speak, both remarking on Harrington’s “immeasurable impact” and contributions to society as he tackled viral malignancies.

Dr. Goldschmidt said most of his interactions with Harrington came during walks around campus, when the cancer researcher would tell him how he thought the University could be improved.  “He was a man of few words, but you got the message,” Dr. Goldschmidt said, to a room where many people chuckled knowingly.   In the end, the Dean said, he was a “dear friend who was truly able to change the medical school.”

That stubbornness is what sticks out for Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., associate director for clinical and translational research at Sylvester, who described Harrington as “always engaging, occasionally exasperating, but he could light up a room.”  He went on to say that Harrington would want UM to deepen its relationship with Jackson and its ties with Latin America.

Visits to Brazil as he was growing up made a huge impression on Harrington.  His brother, Thomas J. Harrington, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine, recalled how their father took them to South America, which “opened our eyes to see all the poverty.”  Those visits redirected Harrington’s future, motivating him to return to Brazil as he practiced medicine.  In one of the more emotional tributes, Tom Harrington said the best word to describe his brother was “fortunate.”  Tom Harrington pointed to their family, their exposure to those less fortunate, and their discovery of medicine as evidence of that description.

Harrington was considered a leading authority on viral-induced cancers, establishing one of the nation’s most distinctive programs to treat viral-related tumors that had proven resistant to conventional chemotherapy.  He built relationships across borders, collaborating with investigators in Brazil to develop new therapies against Epstein-Barr Virus-related lymphoma.

Ricardo Ishak, B.Sc, M.P.H., DLSHTM, Ph.D., professor titular at Universidade Federal do Pará, who flew in from Brazil to pay homage to his friend, described how on more than one occasion, Harrington would bring thousands of test kits for Human T Lymphotrophic Virus Type I for people living in remote areas.  Instead of taking a lead role, he would always treat his new collaborators as equals, ensuring they could break new ground on their own.

This man, who preferred to wear shorts and be outside in the sunshine, was infused with passion --- for both his research and the patients it would save.  Rosenblatt recalled that the best way for a patient to ensure they would get in to see the renowned physician-scientist was to have no insurance.  Harrington always took those cases.

“He took care of the people that no one else wanted to care for, because it was the right thing to do,” said Mark Goodman, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine.

Harrington “paid attention to the big picture, but didn’t care about the details,” said Donald Temple, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the William J. Harrington Medical Training Programs for Latin America, started by Harrington’s father.   Temple recalled a business trip when Harrington mistakenly put on Temple’s pants -- which were two sizes too small -- and never seemed to notice.

One of the people who knew him best was his friend and co-researcher Glen Barber, Ph.D., co-leader of the Viral Oncology Program at Sylvester, who described Harrington as a “free spirit.”  While noting his breakthrough collaborations, Barber announced that a scholarship to train research scientists is being established in Harrington’s name, and this year’s Zubrod Award for Outstanding Cancer Research will be given to him posthumously.

A number of physician-scientists recalled Harrington’s work and vowed to continue his unique research and build on his legacy.  Juan Carlos Ramos, M.D., told how he first met Harrington nine years ago, and asked to work in his lab as they stood at a hot dog stand.  He noted that “many patients were alive because of Harrington’s art.”

Harrington’s widow, Tania, tearfully thanked everyone for their support and “beautiful words.”  He is also survived by his mother Mary; sons Matthew and Gabriel, with Tania; son William of Miami; daughter Julianna de Melo of Orlando; granddaughter Maria Clara; brothers Tom and Tim; and sister Ann Healy of Georgia.