2. An Australian HERO with a
Purpose…Dr. Victor Chang!!!

3. Precursor to Dr.Chang
• Dr. Chang was born on 21st November 1936 in Shanghai
China
• Sadly, dr. Chang’s mother passed away due to
cancer… and that is when he decided to become a
doctor .
• Dr. Chang completed his schooling and medical degree
from Sydney. He obtained his Fellowship of Surgery from
American and English College of Surgeons.
• After his education Dr. Chang joined St. Vincent's
cardiothoracic team which included Dr. Harry Windsor –
he performed Australia’s first heart transplant in 1966.

4. The birth of a Visionary idea
• Dr. Chang was a man of vision and knew that operating on
people was not enough because a heart transplant meant that
someone had to die first. As a result, he set about designing
and developing an artificial heart valve and an artificial heart.
• Dr. Chang lobbied politicians and businessmen from around
the world to develop an artificial heart and to raise funds to
establish a heart transplant program at St. Vincent's hospital.
• Dr. Chang and his team also made significant progress on the
design of an artificial heart. The picture of the artificial valve is
shown below

5. The Artificial Heart Valve

6. Dr. Chang’s success stories
• On 8 April 1984, a team of doctors led by Dr.
Chang operated on 14-year old Fiona Coote who
became Australia's youngest heart transplant
patient.
• Between 1984 and 1990 Dr. Chang's unit performed over 197
heart transplants and 14 heart-lung transplants. The unit had
a high rate of success with 90% of those receiving transplants
from the unit surviving beyond the first year.
• In 1986, Victor Chang was appointed a Companion of the
Order of Australia (AC) "In recognition of service to
international relations between Australia and China and to
medical science“.

7. The End Of A Great Hero !
• Dr. Chang loved making technical things and worked long hours to
improve his invention. The artificial heart was almost finished when Dr.
Chang was killed in 1991.
• On 4 July 1991, Chang was shot twice in the head in a failed extortion
attempt of 3 million dollars.
• Two Malaysian men, Chew Seng Liew and Choon Tee Lim, ran their car
into Dr. Chang's vehicle, forcing him to pull over. After Chang refused to
give them money and got into an argument with them, Liew fired the fatal
shots.
• But work on Dr. Chang's artificial heart didn't stop. A new research centre
was set up in his memory. It's taking research into heart disease further
than probably even Dr. Chang would have imagined.

8. Why he is my Hero???
• I consider Dr. Victor Chang as my Australian hero because he
saved many people’s lives. He was very brave because he
stood up to his killers.
• DR. Chang was an intellectual thinker because he invented
an artificial heart to help mankind.
• Many people remember Dr. Chang as a quiet charming,
person who was loved by his patients, friends and family. He
is truly a man Australian’s and the world owe a lot to and
should never be forgotten.

9. A Tribute to Dr.Chang
A fitting fond memoir to dr. Chang by his patient Fiona
Coote, Australia's first and youngest heart transplant
survivor.

10. Bibliography
• I got my information from the websites listed below:
1. http://www.whatsthenumber.com/oz-p/victor-chang.htm
2. http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/australians/chang.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Chang
4. http://vrroom.naa.gov.au/records/?ID=19597