By Rose Dancs
DR. ENDRE SASS-KORTSÁK is remembered in the history of Canadian healthcare as a pediatrician. However, in the history of the Helicon Society, the establishment of the Hungarian Helicon School was, in large part, his achievement.
He was awarded his certification as a specialist in pediatrics from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1952.
As a pediatrician Endre Sass-Kortsák was primarily interested in the metabolism of the liver. He is considered internationally to be a pioneer in the early diagnosis and treatment of Wilson’s Disease and other inherited metabolic diseases. From 1966, he was a professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. At this time he was also Head Physician at the Hospital for Sick Children and Senior Researcher at the hospital’s Research Institute.
He developed an excellent network of contacts between Toronto-based scientists and the most significant research units for children’s diseases in Europe. He developed a research program in genetical metabolic diseases and was instrumental in the establishment of research in cystic fibrosis at the Hospital for Sick Children.
He was appointed the first Research Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in 1981. In addition to his clinical and research achievements, he was strongly committed to developing young scientists. He is recognized by many as being a wonderful teacher, mentor and role model.
Dr. Endre Sass-Kortsák lived until October, 1986. In his distinguished career, as in his devotion to Hungarian interests through the Helicon Society, he provided an inspiring example to the next generation.
Read the article in Hungarian.