en memoriam: dr. vincent marinkovich
Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, the San Pedro-born son of a fisherman, was a rebel doctor who stood up to insurance companies and other big money interests that sought to discredit him because he was more interested in helping people heal than in making money and defending the interests of the powerful and the rich.
Where other doctors take on a condescending, paternalistic approach and refuse to listen to and respect a patient’s understanding of her/his own body, Dr. Marinkovich was always respectful and not afraid to take risks to actually help people, based on their experiences as they communicated them to him. He truly understood what his patients were experiencing because he truly listened to them, something very few doctors actually practice.
Along with the support and love of family and friends, I was fortunate enough to receive care from Dr. Marinkovich at a crucial time in my life. At a point when we were convinced that we had exhausted all possibilities, it was my mother who happened upon a story about Dr. Marinkovich on the internet. Later she would tell me how that morning, she had prayed to my recently deceased grandma Pauline to help guide her, because she didn't know what else she could do to help me.
I do not think that it is a coincidence that the one doctor who actually listened to me and treated me in an appropriate way that led to my recovery, was a renegade, unafraid, unapologetic, and anti-establishment practitioner.
En memoriam, Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, 1933—2007
........................................................................................
—MUSEUM PIECE (originally published 25 October, 2004)
—OBITUARY (from sfgate.com; reprinted from The San Francisco Chronicle):
"Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, immunologist known as 'Dr. Mold,' dies
Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, a dedicated Redwood City immunologist nationally known as "Dr. Mold" because of his extensive knowledge of illnesses caused by exposure to fungus, has died.
Dr. Marinkovich, 74, died Sept. 17 at home of gall bladder cancer.
"He was a brilliant, creative, determined and compassionate doctor," said his daughter Nina. "He never gave up on anyone. And he always answered his cell phone."
For decades, Dr. Marinkovich specialized in diagnosing and treating mysterious ailments caused by household molds that baffled other doctors. Patients from throughout the United States were referred to him.
In 1999, he founded Immune Tech, a Menlo Park company that offered a $60 mail order home testing kit for allergies. Customers were instructed to prick their fingers and submit blood samples, which were analyzed for allergen and mold sensitivities - with results sent directly to the customer.
He also developed the MAST allergy blood test that detected allergens with the use of cellulose fibers in an enzymatic test chamber.
A native of San Pedro (Los Angeles County) and the son of a fisherman, Dr. Marinkovich was a 1955 graduate of California Institute of Technology and a 1959 graduate of Harvard Medical School. He taught at Cal Tech and at Stanford Medical School before opening a private practice in Palo Alto and other locations in 1973, where he worked until shortly before his death.
He enjoyed hiking at Pescadero Beach in San Mateo County and in the Yosemite high country, and he was a student of military history, particular World War II and the Civil War. He was fond of mysteries, classical music and ballet. During the holidays, he enjoyed making deep-fried Croatian cookies based on ancestral recipes.
His lifelong battle against the effects of household mold was waged inside his own home as well, his wife, Karen, recalled.
"Mold was a dirty word in our house," she said. "We had lots of fans running. The house was watertight, and we were very careful. And there was no family get-together where mold didn't get worked into the conversation. It got to be something of a family joke."
He is survived by his wife, Karen, and by children Douglas of Palo Alto, Andrew and Tess of Redwood City, and Nina, Zoe and Anya of San Francisco.
A memorial service will be held on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Congregational Church of San Mateo at 225 Tilton Ave.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Yosemite Fund, 155 Montgomery St., Suite 1104, San Francisco, CA 94104, or to public television station KQED, 2601 Mariposa St., San Francisco, CA 94110."
Where other doctors take on a condescending, paternalistic approach and refuse to listen to and respect a patient’s understanding of her/his own body, Dr. Marinkovich was always respectful and not afraid to take risks to actually help people, based on their experiences as they communicated them to him. He truly understood what his patients were experiencing because he truly listened to them, something very few doctors actually practice.
Along with the support and love of family and friends, I was fortunate enough to receive care from Dr. Marinkovich at a crucial time in my life. At a point when we were convinced that we had exhausted all possibilities, it was my mother who happened upon a story about Dr. Marinkovich on the internet. Later she would tell me how that morning, she had prayed to my recently deceased grandma Pauline to help guide her, because she didn't know what else she could do to help me.
I do not think that it is a coincidence that the one doctor who actually listened to me and treated me in an appropriate way that led to my recovery, was a renegade, unafraid, unapologetic, and anti-establishment practitioner.
En memoriam, Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, 1933—2007
........................................................................................
—MUSEUM PIECE (originally published 25 October, 2004)
—OBITUARY (from sfgate.com; reprinted from The San Francisco Chronicle):
"Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, immunologist known as 'Dr. Mold,' dies
Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, a dedicated Redwood City immunologist nationally known as "Dr. Mold" because of his extensive knowledge of illnesses caused by exposure to fungus, has died.
Dr. Marinkovich, 74, died Sept. 17 at home of gall bladder cancer.
"He was a brilliant, creative, determined and compassionate doctor," said his daughter Nina. "He never gave up on anyone. And he always answered his cell phone."
For decades, Dr. Marinkovich specialized in diagnosing and treating mysterious ailments caused by household molds that baffled other doctors. Patients from throughout the United States were referred to him.
In 1999, he founded Immune Tech, a Menlo Park company that offered a $60 mail order home testing kit for allergies. Customers were instructed to prick their fingers and submit blood samples, which were analyzed for allergen and mold sensitivities - with results sent directly to the customer.
He also developed the MAST allergy blood test that detected allergens with the use of cellulose fibers in an enzymatic test chamber.
A native of San Pedro (Los Angeles County) and the son of a fisherman, Dr. Marinkovich was a 1955 graduate of California Institute of Technology and a 1959 graduate of Harvard Medical School. He taught at Cal Tech and at Stanford Medical School before opening a private practice in Palo Alto and other locations in 1973, where he worked until shortly before his death.
He enjoyed hiking at Pescadero Beach in San Mateo County and in the Yosemite high country, and he was a student of military history, particular World War II and the Civil War. He was fond of mysteries, classical music and ballet. During the holidays, he enjoyed making deep-fried Croatian cookies based on ancestral recipes.
His lifelong battle against the effects of household mold was waged inside his own home as well, his wife, Karen, recalled.
"Mold was a dirty word in our house," she said. "We had lots of fans running. The house was watertight, and we were very careful. And there was no family get-together where mold didn't get worked into the conversation. It got to be something of a family joke."
He is survived by his wife, Karen, and by children Douglas of Palo Alto, Andrew and Tess of Redwood City, and Nina, Zoe and Anya of San Francisco.
A memorial service will be held on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Congregational Church of San Mateo at 225 Tilton Ave.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Yosemite Fund, 155 Montgomery St., Suite 1104, San Francisco, CA 94104, or to public television station KQED, 2601 Mariposa St., San Francisco, CA 94110."
posted by kualyque at 14:09
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