On the 13 May 2019, the Anesthesia community in Uganda was saddened by the news of Prof Brian Warriner’s death. See what he meant to us
Brian C. Warriner, a friend, a professional father, mentor and inspirational force to most in our Ugandan anaesthesia family passed away on May 13th, 2019. Brian was a highly respected long-serving professor of anaesthesia at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; where he served for over 40 years as staff anaesthesiologist (St. Paul’s and Vancouver General hospitals, Vancouver) and later head of department till his retirement in 2016. Beyond the clinical arena, Brian was a world-renown leader, researcher and educator who was instrumental in the growth of Anaesthesia training and practice in Canada and various parts of the world.
In some sort of predestination, Brian heard of Uganda from one of his staff members who had visited earlier and spoken highly of the Anaesthesia promise in this particular region that would flourish with a little more support. His journey to Uganda birthed a wonderful relationship with the department of Anaesthesia where Brian became family. During his annual visits to Uganda, he enjoyed teaching, mentoring and serving patients in perioperative areas, but his greatest love of all was preparing new residents for a journey of academic and clinical training as well as career in the field of anaesthesia, sharing his vast experience and lessons in the process, many of which continue to shape careers of his beneficiaries to date. Through this, he met and inspired a host of trainees, many of whom now serve as the present and future of Ugandan Anaesthesia. Brian was very instrumental in setting up and maintaining the Makerere-UBC collaboration which created further opportunities for Ugandan trainees to visit, observe and subspecialise in Canada expanding our horizons even further. Even after his retirement, Brian sought and planned to visit Uganda one last time to commune with his family here, but sadly his health could not allow it.
To you Brian, words cannot express the sadness we feel knowing we will not have the opportunity again to show you just how much we learnt from you and how our world is and will be so much better because of you. Yours has been a long journey in which, through your effortless kindness, generosity and dedication to leave a mark in the world, you touched lives all around the world and we are forever honoured, even lucky, to have been part of that family. Our lasting gratitude abounds forever, and we embrace the honour of forever being your living legacy. Thank you for making us better. Rest in eternal peace Professor.