Dr. Alan Birtch (courtesy SIU School of Medicine "Aspects")
LaPorte native Dr. Alan Birtch is profiled for his pioneering career in transplant surgery in the current issue of “Aspects,” a publication of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
To read the entire article, click on the link below:
http://www.siumed.edu/pubs/aspects/34-3/34_3_s1.html
Dr. Birtch 79, is a LaPorte High School graduate and played football and basketball for the Slicers, said Dr. Peter Kesling of LaPorte, an LPHS classmate of Birtch’s. Dr. Kesling said Birtch was also president of the student body at LaPorte. Kesling brought the article about Birtch to the attention of WNLP.
Dr. Birtch was medical director of the transplant program at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine from its inception in 1972 through his retirement as professor emeritus in 1996.
The transplant program of Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, IL, is now named The Alan G. Birtch, MD Center for Transplant Services at Memorial. It has provided kidney and pancreas transplants to almost 800 patients since its inception, according to information from the article. Dr. Birtch performed Memorial’s first kidney transplant in 1973 and performed 240 transplants at Memorial during his career.
Bruce Johnson — September 15, 2011 @ 12:19 am
I knew the Birtch family as they were members of Bethany Lutheran Church in La Porte. They were wonderful people, and I have very fond memories of great times together at their summer home at the tip of “The Island” on Pine Lake. Alan’s father, Grant Birtch, was a well-known pharmacist in La Porte for many years. We all knew that Alan was destined for greatness. La Porte should be proud and honored of their native son.
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