Dr. William 'Bill' E. Shiels II (April 2, 1954 - May 5, 2015).

Abstract

Those of us who knew him were greatly saddened by the death of Dr. William “Bill” Eugene Shiels II, who passed away at The James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, OH, on May 5, 2015, surrounded by his loving family. Bill had recently celebrated his 61st birthday. After his vigilant year-long battle against pancreatic cancer, we lost an extraordinary man and outstanding pediatric radiologist who left a legacy of outstanding leadership, skill and innovation, and a life filled with compassion and advocacy for the best possible medical care of children. Bill was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH, the 9th child in a family of 11 children, and the youngest of 4 boys. He graduated from Purcell Marion High School in Cincinnati, going on to earn a bachelor’s of science and a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in 1979, and a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1983. Bill then began his distinguished military career through the Health Professions Scholarship Program with the United States Army. He was assigned to Tripler ArmyMedical Center in Hawaii, where he completed a transitional internship year and subsequently a diagnostic radiology residency in 1988. Bill returned to Cincinnati on a military-sponsored exception, completing a 2-year pediatric radiology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s HospitalMedical Center in 1990. There hemet two of his greatest mentors, Dr. Donald Kirks and Dr. Diane Babcock. Following graduation, Bill served as the section chief of pediatric radiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 1990 to 1996. He also acted as the radiology consultant to the U.S. Army Surgeon General from 1991 to 1995. After fulfilling his military commitment in 1996, Bill moved to Columbus, OH, to take over the chairmanship of the Department of Radiology at Columbus Children’s Hospital, now Nationwide Children’s Hospital. He devoted the next 20 years of his life building on a dream of excellence for imaging and care of pediatric patients. He did it with style, grace, commitment and an unwavering belief in himself and his colleagues. His forward-thinking and boundless optimism served him well as he continuously strived to promote the growth and development of the program. Bill had a distinguished medical career with 60 peerreviewed publications, 20 book chapters, and more than 500 invited lectures and courses both nationally and internationally. Bill’s focus on treating infants and children with vascular malformations, bone lesions, and congenital and acquired abnormalities of the head and neck was his passion. He * D. Gregory Bates greg.bates@nationwidechildrens.org