Friday, September 20, 2024 | New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)
1216 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029
In a heartfelt tribute on the second day of the conference, Dr. David Yankelevitz, MD, honored the late Dr. James P. Smith, MD, highlighting his integral role in the creation and development of LCAP and his contributions to advancing screening practices. Dr. Smith, a senior member of LCAP at Kantar who was renowned for his opening addresses and passion for the Yankees, passed away in March 2024. Dr. Smith's daughter, Patti Smith Barrett, shared personal anecdotes, emphasizing his humility, dedication to family and patients, and his profound impact and lasting legacy in the medical community.
Dr. Smith's unwavering commitment to advancing medical screening practices and his remarkable contributions to LCAP have left an indelible mark on the medical community. His passion for his work and his love for his family will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.
Watch The Tribute to Dr. James P. Smith Below:
See Slides and Images from the Tribute to Dr. James P. Smith Below:
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Transcript of The Tribute to Dr. James P. Smith:
[David Yankelevitz] [0.48s] So we're gonna start, today's session with a tribute to doctor James p Smith, who unfortunately passed, this past March.
[David Yankelevitz] [15.00s] For those of you who've been members of LCAP at Kantar, forty six conferences along the way, you'd be used to Jim having been the person that really kicked off all the meetings.
[David Yankelevitz] [26.68s] He was the, you know, sort of the senior member of our team, and he gave these wonderful opening addresses to the meetings, and told us about his beloved Yankees.
[David Yankelevitz] [39.40s] I learned more about the Yankees at these meetings probably than I did following them on my own.
[David Yankelevitz] [47.86s] Jim was just a wonderful guy.
[David Yankelevitz] [49.63s] And, I think when we started LCAP, right from the beginning, from the planning phase, he was really integral in getting it started, in in in the conceptualizing of the project along with a few of the other people here.
[David Yankelevitz] [68.60s] But Jim was the senior pulmonologist.
[David Yankelevitz] [72.05s] Jim was really kind of the reason that I think we were able to get things started.
[David Yankelevitz] [78.53s] You know, screening was very controver even before screening had started, screening had not been successful, and it was viewed as not a not a fertile area to move things along in.
[David Yankelevitz] [89.68s] And at Mount Sinai, we even had trouble getting it through our IRB.
[David Yankelevitz] [94.23s] It was just and without Jim being, you know, so prestigious, you know, we had actually kinda failed getting it through the IRB, on multiple attempts.
[David Yankelevitz] [104.95s] And and Jim just said, I'll take care of it.
[David Yankelevitz] [107.58s] It.
[David Yankelevitz] [108.14s] And the next thing we knew, he went and spoke to the IRB, and right away, we got it through.
[David Yankelevitz] [113.90s] And I think it was in large part because of his prestige that our institution accepted us doing it.
[David Yankelevitz] [119.34s] So it really helped move things along.
[David Yankelevitz] [121.03s] And, of course, that wasn't his only contribution.
[David Yankelevitz] [121.11s] He made many contributions to this along the way.
[David Yankelevitz] [123.17s] Contribution.
[David Yankelevitz] [124.92s] He made many contributions to this along the way intellectually, and he enjoyed it.
[David Yankelevitz] [130.04s] And, you know, it was just wonderful having him participate.
[David Yankelevitz] [134.84s] On a on a personal note, couldn't think of a better friend.
[David Yankelevitz] [140.82s] Just, nothing but wonderful things to say about him.
[David Yankelevitz] [145.46s] You know, I remember recently when I, when I first learned of his passing, I called my friend, Jim Mulshine, and I was telling him about it.
[David Yankelevitz] [155.47s] And, aside from being rather upset, you know, Jim talked about it.
[David Yankelevitz] [161.96s] And Jim just said to me, you know, when you think about Jim Smith, he really lived the perfect life.
[David Yankelevitz] [169.58s] Everything he did was really done very well.
[David Yankelevitz] [172.54s] And, so we miss him greatly, and we are fortunate today to have his daughter, Patti, who's gonna say a few words on his behalf.
[David Yankelevitz] [185.63s] So, Patti.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [187.79s] Thank you so much, David.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [189.00s] It's a pleasure to be here.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [191.56s] My siblings and I are so grateful to be included, in this tribute today.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [200.77s] After my dad passed, what we learned about him was just astounding.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [205.73s] We thought we had the complete picture of who doctor James p Smith was, but as we assembled his obituary and went through a lot of the paperwork that he left behind for us in the event of his passing in a binder that he left for us to follow.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [223.91s] And then also from an amazing interview with his dear friend, and mentee, doctor Dan Libby.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [231.35s] What we what we learned, we couldn't believe that we didn't know.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [236.28s] The word visionary, pioneer, came up over and over.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [242.03s] And I think that for us, that was more impactful and incredible, than anything else and says so much about who our dad was.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [255.98s] He was gifted, and he knew that those gifts and believed with all of his heart that it came from God.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [264.27s] But then also, he was so humble.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [268.36s] We knew what we knew about him professionally, probably from our mom, from patients who would speak freely about how he changed the course of their lives and their family's lives by giving their loved ones, more time on this planet.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [283.14s] But but the accolades, certainly that came after his death, we will treasure forever.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [292.29s] Our family was his life, and at the same time, so was the hospital, his patients, and, for three decades, this organization.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [305.97s] I saw my dad the day before he died.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [311.41s] He was in a great mood.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [313.81s] He was, a little concerned about some health issues that he had had recently, but truly seemed as though he was launching a comeback, at least in his head, from a knee injury that he had had and was still keeping me on point, making sure that his driver's license had been renewed, and, really just seemed like he was ready, for the future.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [338.95s] And as I cooked dinner, he opened his laptop and at one point sort of told me I was gonna have to stop talking, because he had something that had come, from the hospital that he wanted to watch.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [351.88s] And it was called, I have to always refer to my phone because I wouldn't remember, an introduction to robotic bronchoscopy by doctor Eugene Shostak, Weill Cornell Medicine.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [363.93s] So I continued cooking dinner, and I listened, and I didn't understand a lot of what was being said.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [370.01s] But he sat there so intently listening to what I basically would, synthesize as saying was, the a procedure that, is now robotically done in endoscopy with an Xbox like remote control.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [390.51s] So here he is at eighty nine listening to what sounded very futuristic to me, and he was so dialed in and interested.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [399.23s] And, and it was so so, I don't know, just mesmerizing to me that I took out my phone while I was cooking, and I put the phone down and hit record to just covertly record him watching this so that I could share it with my siblings and, and my children and, you know, not having no idea that the next day he would, pass.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [421.16s] So, I think that just says so much about him.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [424.20s] And in the same way that I look at my siblings, my children, my nieces and nephews, and know that he lives on and his legacy lives on in us.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [438.07s] I know that with Claudia and David and with his organization that his life's work and what I think meant probably the most to him, in his career continues today and, for all the years to come.
[Patti Smith Barrett] [455.73s] So thank you for, being here and for honoring him and being his friend.
The presentations were hosted by I-ELCAP – The International Early Lung Cancer Action Program.
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