1. Magdi Habib Yacoub was born on 16 November 1935 in Bilbeis, El Sharqia, Egypt to a Coptic Christian family, and spent his childhood moving around a number of different small towns.
15 Facts About Magdi Yacoub
1. 2.
Magdi Yacoub's father was a surgeon, who later worked in public health.
3.
In 1957, Magdi Yacoub graduated in medicine from Cairo University and completed two years of residencies in surgery.
4.
Magdi Yacoub carried out a number of Ross procedures, where the diseased aortic valve is replaced with the person's own pulmonary valve, particularly in growing children.
5.
Magdi Yacoub modified the operation by planning remodelling of the autograft root, the Ross-Magdi Yacoub procedure, performed in carefully selected people.
6.
Magdi Yacoub later recalled that "I was tempted to stay in Chicago, as I was interested in the research they were doing there, but I had already accepted the position at Harefield before going to the US, so I was honour bound to return".
7.
Magdi Yacoub began the transplant programme at Harefield Hospital in 1980 with a heart transplant for Derrick Morris, who became Europe's longest surviving heart transplant recipient until his death in July 2005.
8.
In December 1983 Magdi Yacoub performed the UK's first combined heart and lung transplant at Harefield.
9.
Magdi Yacoub treated a number of politicians and celebrities throughout his surgical career, including comedian Eric Morecambe in 1979, Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in 1988, and actor Omar Sharif in 1993.
10.
Magdi Yacoub retired from the National Health Service in 2001 at the age of 65.
11.
In 1995, Magdi Yacoub founded the charity Of Ahmed Sherif "Chain of Hope", through which he continued to operate on children, and through which the provision of heart surgery for correctable heart defects are made possible in areas without specialist cardiac surgery units.
12.
Magdi Yacoub is the head of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation, co-founded with Ahmed Zewail and Ambassador Mohamed Shaker in 2008, which launched the Aswan Heart project and founded the Aswan Heart Centre the following year.
13.
Magdi Yacoub was married to Marianne and they have three children and a number of grandchildren.
14.
Magdi Yacoub then came to the UK and worked as an auxiliary nurse at the Royal Brompton Hospital, which is where she met Yacoub.
15.
Magdi Yacoub enjoys swimming, listening to classical music and growing orchids.