PROF JOSEPH COLIN

[caption id='attachment_5281' align='alignright' width='200'] Joseph Colin[/caption]

For the Romans, the manner of a person’s death was the most telling indication of their true character. Courage and dignity have been the landmarks of Joseph Colin’s last months. He was surrounded by beloved and loving children, with the permanent help and love of his wife Florence, and of his whole family. Till his last weeks he held meetings with his staff, even in his hospital room, to ensure continuity of his work.

Joseph Colin was born in 1949 on the island of Ouessant, at the extreme west of France. From his birthplace he listened for his lifetime to the call of the sea and of new territories to search. He was one of these travelling islanders, taking back home the innovation seeds.

His first master in ophthalmology was Doctor Renard from Brest who foresaw a brilliant career for his gifted and hardworking resident. During his residency Joseph came to Nantes, a stronghold in French ophthalmology. He made friends with many colleagues there, and especially with Georges Baikoff. Their friendship lasted ever since and induced emulation and mutual help between them. A very young professor at the age of 32 in Brest he also became head of the university Eye Department. He immediately used this position to create a dynamic and innovative school of ophthalmology. One of the first pioneers of refractive surgery, a world expert on corneal herpes, he developed our knowledge on cornea and anterior segment .

When he left Brest for Bordeaux in 2000 he had created an ophthalmology light house at the extreme end of Brittany. He carefully prepared his succession and left the department in the hands of a smart and hard working chairperson, Béatrice Cochener, to follow the trail. In Bordeaux he continued a highly international educative and innovative life, together with many commitments in the ESCRS Board and several committees, as chair and Board member of the Société Francaise D’ophtalmologie (SFO), as chair of SAFIR (French implant and refractive surgery society). He also served the ISRS, and the ISCRS committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology; he was involved in many post-graduate educational programmes in France and abroad. In his country he was made Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.

There is not enough room here to fully cite his awards, contributions and achievements. In the ESCRS we shall remember Joseph for his original thinking, for many tasks he successfully carried out, for his continuous dedication to creation and to education. Different societies, in France and worldwide, will pay the specific tribute they owe him.

His personal creativity covered many different fields, from his initial work on corneal herpes to recent new laser applications in anterior segment surgery. Joseph was extremely motivated by this new approach, conducted with David Touboul. With his brilliant team in Bordeaux he developed a special programme on keratoconus, with the help of Florence Malet, his wife and an internationally renowned contact lens specialist. His work on intra-corneal rings is a landmark of corneal knowledge and corneal diseases treatment.

To his family, to his children, to Florence we express our deepest sympathy and love. Their father and husband was one of our first rank companions. We shall badly miss his bright, active and enthusiastic personality. To us he is – and will stay -a smiling, creative, team leader, ophthalmologist and friend.

Au revoir Joseph.

Philippe Sourdille