PETALING JAYA, October 27 — Eminent endocrinologist Prof Datuk Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir died yesterday after battling cancer. He was 74.
With his death, the country has lost a prominent researcher and physician in the field of endocrinology, specifically diabetes.
Most of all, he will be missed for his kindness and empathy in treating people, particularly his patients.
According to a citation delivered when he became the first recipient of The Merdeka Award in health, science and technology in 2008, he was a prolific researcher while still treating patients.
He was also awarded the Tun Abdul Razak Research Award and Asia Pacific Society Clinical Nutrition Award and the National Science Award Malaysia.
The citation also read that his work has had a deep and lasting impact on Malaysia and its society as a whole.
“With nearly 300 published articles on diabetes and endocrinology, and with his continuing research efforts, Professor Khalid has significantly improved the understanding of endocrinology,” it said.
“His research on the efficacy of diabetes treatment and monitoring of diabetes in Malaysia have aided in formulating strategies to combat the disease.
“His work has also contributed to the development and implementation of national strategies and programmes to prevent and control diabetes, and reduce its risks. Professor Khalid's epidemiology research and clinical drug trials, as well as research on insulin resistance have aided in creating new treatments for diabetes.”
The citation also said that he graduated from Monash University, Australia with first-class honours B.Med.Sc. in 1973 and first class honours in MBBS in 1975.
He also won the Henry Hindlip Green Prize in Clinical Medicine and the Harriet Power Prize in Medicine.
He was a lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1984 and Head of the Department of Medicine in the following year.
He was appointed dean of the medical faculty and became hospital director . He retired in 2004 and was made Professor Emeritus.
Treat with empathy
What one wouldn’t realise when they first meet Dr Khalid is how prominent he was in his field.
Not when he’s making jokes like, “Hey, call me duck face la. Hahaha.” (he loved them ducks).
That was because of the way he treated patients: with humility.
You felt that he treated you as a human being and not just a number that the packed hospital called out and the doctor went through the routine of looking at your bloodwork and declaring how bad a “diabetic” you were. (Diabetics, you know what I mean).
This writer had been treated as a teenager by Dr Khalid back in the day when the medical section of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was operating out of Hospital KL.
The wait back then to see a doctor was even longer.
As the years went by, I saw other doctors but if there was a medical emergency, his number was the one I called.
And of course when I needed guidance in writing a diabetes-related story, it would be, “Proffffffffff, I need your help."
Then there was that time when I asked him if I could interview his mother, the late Tun Fatimah Hashim (a freedom fighter who later became Welfare Minister while her husband was Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Yusof (Law Minister)).
He said he would try and later called back saying the interview was on, adding: “Eh, but my mother is scary ah.”
That interview went well despite my being extremely nervous with the “scary” warning.
But things took a turn for the better when she started talking about her children and was as proud as any mother would be.
When it came to Dr Khalid, she mentioned “you know that one, he’s a Professor Emeritus?” and to which I asked him later, “I didn’t know you were Prof Emeritus. Eh, it’s our house style you know. Need to put in.”
Over the phone he was almost shy and said, “No need-lah. Don’t you dare put that in.”
That became a running joke between the two of us: whether to include Emeritus in an article.
The last time we met
Through the years, I would find out he had joined different medical establishments like Monash University Malaysia as Professor of Medicine while he was appointed as the Monash University Malaysia Johor Clinical School head and consultant endocrinologist at KL’s Pantai Medical Centre.
He was also consultant endocrinologist at Thomson Hospital — which was the last time I saw him in a clinical setting.
Like I said, I sought him out every time I fell sick and somehow would always get the chance to visit him when he was ill.
The most recent was at his home, which I had not been to before.
But you knew which one it was because of the numerous duck figurines.
And when he asked me what I wanted to learn from him that day, I just said I wanted to see him and reminded him that the only times we met were when either of us was sick.
“You know, I never resigned or retired,” he said.
He was frail but he was still Prof Khalid to me,
The doctor who treated this diabetic like a human and left an indelible mark in her life.
The doctor who said, “Don’t worry. We will get you better,” when I asked him if I was going to die because I was sick and going to put on dialysis.
Although I was not close to him in any way whatsoever (others have more memories of him) but Prof Khalid was one of those people that you never forget.
Maybe it was because he himself fought a disease so he knew how to treat people, no matter who they were.
Or maybe it was just because that was the way he was built.
Whatever it is, you will definitely be missed, Duckface.
Rest in peace, Prof Khalid.
