Renzo Galanello, Thalassemia Doctor, Has Passed Away
Renzo Galanello
May 14, 2013 – Dr. Renzo Galanello, an international expert in the field of thalassemia, passed away it was announced on May 13. In a letter, the Thalassaemia International Federation wrote the following:
The world of Thalassaemia, doctors, scientists and the global patients community, have today been informed about the premature death of Professor Renzo Galanello.
Renzo Galanello was the able successor of Professor Antonio Cao at the Ospedale per laMicrocitemie in Cagliari, Sardinia. This unit has a great tradition of clinical excellence and research dating back many decades. Professor Galanello was a close collaborator of Professor Cao from the time when Sardinia initiated one of the first thalassaemia control programs in the world.
His death comes less than a year after the loss of Professor Cao, and the loss of both to the local thalassaemia services and research but also to the Italian national and global medical and research community of thalassaemia is indeed great.
Professor Galanello’s contribution to research, which includes all aspects of thalassaemia but especially iron chelation and the correlation of genotypes to phenotypes, has been invaluable and the impact on our better understanding of the disorder and its prognosis is now universally acclaimed.
The Thalassaemia International Federation, its Board of Directors and all the members that it represents in 68 countries across the world, send a most sincere message of condolence but also of gratitude to his family and to the centre in Cagliari which was his second home for so many years.
The patients/parents and medical health communities alike, today have not only lost a great scientist, clinician and researcher but a great friend, a caring doctor, an advisor and a true supporter of the rights of patients.
Professor Galanello, you will be greatly missed, but indeed all you have left behind as a doctor and a person will never be forgotten, will remain in the books, in the literature, in our minds but very importantly in our hearts.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Thalassaemia International Federation
Panos Englezos
TIF President
The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation joins in mourning the passing of this important and beloved ally in the fight against thalassemia and sends it condolences to Dr. Galanello’s family and his legion of friends and colleagues.