Sam Hughes

NBC's Bazell: Sam's legacy 'medicine at its best'

2008-03-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

In an essay, chief science and health correspondent Robert Bazell says: "Whatever the list of requirements to be good doctor might include, Sam embodied most of them: intelligence, charm, curiosity, compassion, and decisiveness, to name a few." You can read the rest of the essay, here.

A celebration of his life

2008-03-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

A celebration of Sam's life has now been scheduled in San Francisco for 3 p.m., on March 8, in the Green Room at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., at McAllister Street. Please send RSVPs to Jim Chace at jimchace@yahoo.com. For additional information, you may call Jim at 415-264-4915.

Dress: elegant casual.

Parking, and public transportation
Note: Several music events are scheduled for Saturday afternoon, near the Herbst Theatre, so parking may be difficult. Herbst also can be reached via Muni's Van Ness and Civic Center stations, and by BART, at the Civic Center Station.

Please also consider these parking options:

The Performing Arts Garage -- Grove Street between Franklin & Gough Streets (415) 252-8238. Accommodates 616 vehicles, and is open for all music performances.

The Civic Center Garage -- McAllister Street between Polk and Larkin Streets (415) 863-1537. Open for most music performances.

There are several additional parking areas in the vicinity of the Performing Arts Center.

[Photo: That's Sam, in Africa, visiting Rebecca, Scott, Josiah and Sam]

A note about memorial gifts

2008-03-05T13:05:00.001-08:00

They can be made to:

Sam's Garden
The Wellness Community-Delaware
4801 Lancaster Pike
Wilmington, DE 19807

For more information, go to The Well Community's page.

Welcome

2008-03-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

This blog is devoted to our friend Sam Hughes, the influential San Francisco anesthesiologist who died Jan. 20 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago. Please return in the future for more information about a memorial service being planned by his family and friends. You may leave a note about Sam in the comments sections, below. Questions? Use this link to e-mail Jim Hopkins, who manages this site.

CDC's Gerberding: 'highest standard for integrity'

2008-02-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

From San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter newspaper: "Dr. Julie Gerberding, formerly of UCSF and now head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that Dr. Hughes served as a voice of reason during that time. 'Dr. Hughes set the highest standard for integrity and professional ethics. His commitment to the safe care of people with HIV brought sanity to the operating room in an era when some clinicians were too frightened to take care of infected patients.'"

A life in quotes

2008-02-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

If a restaurant, hotel or event was really, really nice, Sam would offer one of his highest compliments: "Very kiss-kiss!"

Do you have a favorite Sam quote? Add it to the comments section, below, or use this link to e-mail it to Jim Hopkins, who manages this site.

Lisa Saunders writes: On the subject of Sam's quotes, I tended to think of them as "Sam-erisms." For example, things were never expensive, they were “cher.” When you picked up the phone and he was on the line, he would say, "Well, hello and good day," or “It is I, Samuel." When we were planning an evening out for my ten-year-old daughter, he said, "And where would Madame like to dine?”

A life in pictures

2008-02-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Baby Sam.

Christmas.

Riding Beauty.

Easter 1950.

2008-02-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

June 1957.

School days.

Sam and Elaine.

2008-02-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

Always a scholar.

Becoming a gorgeous guy.

Sam and Fred.

1963 junior year.

2008-02-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

With brother George as Sam Graduates from Jefferson.

Sam, Elaine, Rebecca and Tim.

With Tim.

2008-02-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

August 1981: Sam and George, parenting Sarah and Amanda.

A garden of flowers.

With Elaine.

2008-02-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

Sarah's engagement party.

Sarah's graduation at Swarthmore, 1999.

Sarah's wedding.

In Africa, visiting Rebecca, Scott, Josiah and Sam.

With the opera singer Deborah Voigt in Augusta, Ga., in September 2005 at a private performance she gave with the Augusta Symphony. He was thrilled to sit with her at an informal brunch during her visit.

Sam's San Francisco Chronicle obituary

2008-01-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

This is to appear in the newspaper's Jan. 25 obituaries section:

Samuel C. Hughes, M.D.

For every night out, there is the perfect suit and tie. For every opera, there is the perfect aria. For every ballet, there is the perfect pas de deux. For every flowerpot, there is the perfect orchid and for every scented room, there is the perfect gardenia. For every family, there is the perfect son, brother, uncle, friend. Sam loved his garden, books and music, and liberal politics. He loved his family and many close friends throughout the world.

Samuel C. Hughes, M.D., a professor in the department of anesthesia and perioperative care at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), an attending physician at San Francisco General Hospital and a leading international figure in obstetrical anesthesia, died on January 20, 2008, at age 61 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

During the course of his career, he provided compassionate care to countless underserved patients undergoing surgery at SFGH and acted as a voice of reason in the early days of the AIDS crisis when hysteria threatened the ability of at-risk populations to receive surgical treatment. He was valued by all who worked with him professionally as the true embodiment of a gentleman and a scholar.

Dr. Hughes is survived by his sisters Lillian Crispin (Ed) and Elaine Singleton (David); brother, George (Judy); nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and many, many dear friends.

A celebration of his life is being planned. For details as they become available please visit: samhughesmd.blogspot.com

Donations can be made to Sam's Garden, The Wellness Community Delaware, 4801 Lancaster Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807, or a charity of your choice.

Sam leaves us

2008-01-20T17:44:00.000-08:00

Sam died peacefully moments ago at his home in San Francisco, surrounded by people who love him. If you wish, you may leave a note here about Sam in the comments section, below.