SR0885 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0885 LRB097 22503 MST 71266 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Donald Liu and wish to honor him for his great act of heroism in saving 2 boys from drowning on August 5, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu was born on June 12, 1962, in New York, and grew up in Taiwan; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he graduated with honors in 1984 and earned his bachelor's degree in natural sciences; in 1990, he earned his medical degree with high honors and his Ph.D. in immunology from Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia; he later completed his internship and residency in general surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, followed by a 2-year fellowship in pediatric surgery at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu was internationally recognized for his expertise in applying and adapting the techniques of minimally invasive surgery to children; he served as an assistant professor of surgery at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine's Children's Hospital of New Orleans from 1997 to 2001; in 2001, he joined the University of Chicago's Department of Surgery as a pediatric surgeon; in 2007, he was named section chief of pediatric surgery and surgeon-in-chief at Comer Children's Hospital; and

WHEREAS, During his career, Dr. Donald Liu developed innovative approaches to the treatment of numerous chronic abdominal pain syndromes in children, including median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), a little-known and under-diagnosed disorder; he was also a researcher of numerous medical topics, including Hirschsprung's disease, the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis, and the importance of gut bacteria in health and disease; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu was a prolific scholar and the author or co-author of more than 70 research publications and 8 book chapters dealing principally with minimally invasive surgery, the human microbiome, and the surgical treatment of intestinal disease; he lectured around the world, especially in China, and contributed to 7 instructional films for various surgical societies; he also served as the principal investigator for multiple clinical trials and for 2 large grants from the National Institutes of Health; and

WHEREAS, During his career, Dr. Donald Liu helped to develop a formal affiliation between the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital and the Shanghai Children's Medical Center through Project Hope, a collaborative effort that helped to train several international fellows who have gone on to become institutional leaders in China; as a result, he was honored with an endowed chair at Jiao Tong University/Shanghai Second Medical College and was given a grant and the "1000-Person Distinction" award by the Shanghai government, which recognizes collaborative clinical, research, and educational efforts; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu was the recipient of numerous honors, including teaching awards from the University of Pennsylvania, the Children's Hospital of New Orleans, and the University of Chicago, where he recently won the Distinguished Senior Clinician Award; he was also routinely selected for local and national lists of top doctors, including Chicago Magazine in 2012; and

WHEREAS, On August 5, 2012, two 12-year-old boys were kayaking in Lake Michigan when they were knocked out of the kayak by heavy waves and began to struggle in the choppy water; seeing that the children were in trouble, Dr. Donald Liu immediately went out into the water to help them; thanks to Dr. Liu's great bravery and quick thinking, the children made it to shore; tragically, Dr. Liu was swept away by the rip current and passed away; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald Liu is survived by his loving wife, Dana Suskind; his children, Genevieve, Asher, and Amelie; and his sister, Diana Liu; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Donald Liu; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor his great bravery and willingness to save lives at the cost of his own; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Donald Liu as an expression of our sympathy.