Luna Allison / National / Friday, December 04, 2009
At the end of November, one of the world's most celebrated gender reassignment surgeons retired after more than 30 years of performing genital reconstruction and other transition-oriented surgeries. His work has profoundly changed the lives of thousands of trans men and women all over the world.
"We take care of them as if they were our children, our brothers and our sisters," Dr Yvon Ménard once said of his team at Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) Montreal.
Skills of Ménard's calibre aren't developed overnight. He has earned an international reputation for his surgical innovations, having refined his techniques year by year, since first encountering genital reconstruction during his surgical residency in 1971.
At the time, it was difficult to find a place to do genital reconstruction, as hospital administrators often looked unfavourably on a surgeon's decision to undertake the work. But Ménard felt strongly about the positive effects the surgeries could have on the quality of life of his patients; he carried on despite the challenges.
In the '70s, Ménard did only a few transition-related surgeries. By the '80s, he had many more trans patients — word began to spread about the care he took in his surgical work and his welcoming and compassionate bedside manner.
Since 1996, gender reassignment surgeries have made up the lion's share of Ménard's work — in fact, that year he had to hire a second surgeon, Dr Pierre Brassard, to keep up with the demand.
The combined full- and part-time staff at GRS Montreal's facilities now numbers about 70 people....
....Despite the sense of loss that Ménard's retirement might stir up in the community, the services at GRS Montreal will continue. Now 69 years old, Ménard is handing the reins over to Brassard, who studied with Ménard during his surgical residency at Montreal's Hôpital Sainte-Justine in 1986 and has worked alongside Ménard as his business partner and protégé for the last 13 years.
Enjoy your retirement good Doctor. You have done well!
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