AANS president, H. Hunt Batjer, MD, FAANS, selected Neurosurgery Leading the Way as the theme for his meeting, and attendees watched it come to life throughout the week.
The meeting began with the Opening Ceremonies, which was a discussion about traumatic brain injury, moderated by Sanjay Gupta, MD, FAANS, and paneled by Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, former vice chief of staff of the U.S. army; Geoffrey Ling, MD, PhD, Col. (Ret.), the founding director of the Biological Technologies Office at DARPA; Walter J. Koroshetz, MD, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and Russel R. Lonser, MD, FAANS. The National Football League (NFL) was represented by Football Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bear, Mike Singletary, and by the league’s senior vice president for health and safety, Jeff Miller.
A myriad of issues were tackled during the discussion. Col. Ling highlighted that the tools used in this fight are old: MRI technology is from the 70s. Ling pointed out that the only technology likely to be that old in a kitchen today would be a can opener. Gen. Chiarelli emphasized that it is not the responsibility of the injured to take themselves off the field, whether field of play or field of war: leadership needs to lead and make those decisions for those who may be injured. Mike Singletary reminded the audience that football is a collision sport that requires contact practice and commented that athletes need to own their own part in sports safety. He also shared that he tried to talk his sons out of playing football. Unsuccessful, he insisted that they were not allowed to play until age 12, when they started with the groundwork that would build the muscle memory needed to help keep them safe. The Opening Reception, which followed, was held at Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears.
During the 2016 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, several awards were presented.
AANS International Lifetime Recognition Award — Edgardo Spagnuolo, MD
The most prestigious international award the AANS bestows is the AANS Lifetime International Recognition Award. It honors the recipient’s lifetime of achievements serving neurosurgery in his or her home country, as well as contributions made to neurosurgery globally.
AANS Distinguished Service Award — Blas Ezequiel Lopez Felix, MD, FAANS
The AANS Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who make outstanding contributions to the field of neurosurgery. Recent recipients of the award include John Jane Sr., MD, PhD, FAANS(L); Ralph G. Dacey Jr, MD, FAANS; and Sir Graham Teasdale.
AANS Humanitarian Award — Karin M. Muraszko, MD, FAANS
The Humanitarian Award recognizes extraordinary work done for those in need, here and abroad.
AANS Cushing Medal — Ralph G. Dacey Jr., MD, FAANS
The Cushing Medal is the highest honor that the AANS bestows on a neurosurgeon. Prior winners include Roberto C. Heros, MD, FAANS(L); Donald O. Quest, MD, FAANS(L); and Jon H. Robertson, MD, FAANS.
AANS Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery — L. Dade Lunsford, MD, FAANS
The Cushing Award is the honor bestowed by the AANS that recognizes technical prowess and skill and/or innovation in the development of new procedures which have become part of the armamentarium of neurosurgery.
Due to security concerns, the Cushing Orator was a surprise until just before the meeting.
“Whatever your personal political background, it is surely uncontestable that George W. Bush, our 43rd president, lead the way through America’s darkest period – at least in my lifetime. When selecting the Cushing Orator, my task was to find someone who could exemplify the meeting theme, Neurosurgery Leading the Way, and enlighten me and my esteemed colleagues on topics like leadership and life-and-death decision making,” said Dr. Batjer. During the plenary session on Tuesday, May 3, Dr. Batjer and President George W. Bush sat down to a candid conversation about what it means to lead, especially in times of uncertainty, where Bush draws his strength from while under pressure and how he sees the future.
The conversation did not shy away from discussing many of the historic events that took place during President Bush’s two terms in office. From the difficult decisions about federal funding for stem cell research to the decision about Iraqi disarmament mandates, which would eventually lead the country into war, Bush had insight to share. “The nature of the job is that there are hard decisions to make,” Bush commented.
Bush spoke to his Texas childhood in Midland, close to Dr. Batjer’s hometown of San Angelo; the strong west Texas traditions shared with Dr. Batjer; and Laura Bush and their twin girls, another commonality with the Batjer family. Bush attended the Cushing Luncheon and shared some of his paintings and the motivation behind his art with those in attendance.
The 85th AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, led by President Frederick A. Boop, MD, FAANS, will be held April 22-26, 2017, in Los Angeles. The 2017 theme is Neurosurgery: A World of Innovation. We hope to see you there!
