J Sex Med 2006;3:952–953 © 2006 International Society for Sexual Medicine

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Blackwell Publishing IncMalden, USAJSMJournal of Sexual Medicine1743-6095© 2006 International Society for Sexual MedicineSeptember/October 200636952953Miscellaneous

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TRIBUTE

Tribute to Abrie Schmidt

There is no greater honor one colleague can giveanother than to call him friend. Abrie Schmidt willbe remembered in the field of sexual medicine asa true pioneer, the first president of the AfricanSociety for Impotence Research (ASIR), nowknown as the African Gulf Society for SexualMedicine (AGSSM), but for those who reallyknew him, he will be remembered first as a friend.

Tragically, we lost Abrie in July in an automo-bile accident, which also injured his wife, Lynn.There was an outpouring of letters to ISSMlistand over and over; each named Abrie as a scientist,a physician, and a friend. As the first ASIR presi-dent, Abrie supported South Africa and sexualmedicine, traveling the world to attend sexualmedicine meetings, representing with passion andenthusiasm and hard work his continent, his coun-try, his society, and his field.

Abrie fought to help our parent society, theInternational Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM),grow. He served on the ISSM Scientific, Ethicsand Communications Committees. He was astaunch supporter of

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

(

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) and held positions as

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Editorial Boardmember and ISSM Newsbulletin member. Heencouraged and provided assistance to his col-leagues in their various sexual medicine leadershippositions. Each of those colleagues claimed Abrieas friend.

Within Africa, Abrie was well known andrespected as a physician and researcher willing toshare knowledge. Even those who did not knowhim well were struck by his willingness to offer hisexpertise in sexual medicine. His profound zealand enthusiasm, incisive mind, and vast knowledgewere tools he used, along with his sense of humor,

to attempt to develop a formal qualification insexual health for South Africa. As Ezio Baraldi,president of the Southern African Sexual HealthAssociation (SASHA), exclaimed, “We have in-deed lost a giant.”

Abrie was a full-time consultant and senior spe-cialist in the Department of Urology, Universityof Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Hospital, Tyger-berg, Cape Town, South Africa. In addition to hisinvolvement with the AGSSM and ISSM, Abriewas a member of the Urological Association ofSouth Africa, the American Urological Associa-tion, and the Société Internationale d’Urologie.

Etienne Kok, a lecturer/andrologist/sexologistin the Department of Urology, University of Pre-toria, South Africa, remembers Abrie fondly. “Ihave known Abrie and Lynn for many years, I firstmet them at the ISIR Congress in San Franciscoin 1996 and have subsequently seen them at thelater ISSIR and now ISSM congresses in Amster-dam, Perth, Montreal and Buenos Aires. We fur-ther rubbed shoulders at meetings of AdvisoryBoards for PDE5 inhibitor drug companies inSouth Africa, the biannual congresses of the Uro-logical Association of South Africa and meetingsof the SASHA. Abrie was the first president of theASIR, later ASSIR and now AGSSM. He was theorganizer of a very successful ASIR Congress atSpier in Stellenbosch in 2001 and we also saw oneanother at congresses in Marrakesh, Morocco andMombasa, Kenya.”

“Abrie had a passion for Sexual Medicine andgiving it a rightful place in the African context. Hewas a scientist at heart, who performed drug trialsand sought answers through research with limitedfunding. Lynn, his wife, was always involved as co-investigator and administrative expert. He was afamily man with a keen interest in his daughterand son’s lives and their future. He loved travelingthe world with Lynn at his side. He was also afarmer at heart, who spent many wonderful hourson the family sheep and game farm in the EasternCape. It was on their way back from the farm thatthey were involved in the tragic accident.”

“I will always remember Abrie for his loveof good red wine, his ability to stir things up

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to create a reaction from people and his com-plex sense of humor. Sexual Medicine andUrology in South Africa have lost a giant andhe will be truly missed by everyone whocrossed his path.”

“Abrie touched people far away as well as thosein Africa. Ira Sharlip, the new ISSM president,explained sadly, “We in sexual medicine have losta good friend, an important leader, a productivescientist, an insightful member of the

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Edito-rial Board and a man with a paragon of integrity.I will miss Abrie greatly and will remember hisexample and ethic as beacons of excellence toemulate.”

Over and over, ISSM members have written,“Abrie was a pioneer, a giant, a leader in sexualmedicine in Africa.” May his death inspire othersto carry on where he can no longer go.

Ron Lewis captured the feelings best. Identify-ing himself as a historian and former president ofthe ISSM, but mostly a friend of Abrie Schmidt,he wrote, “Our hearts pour out condolences forthe family of Abrie Schmidt, truly a giant in ourfield. He was one of the instrumental founders ofthe African affiliate of the ISSM. He served wellon the executive committee of the ISSM (formerlythe ISSIR) for several years. He was a visionary forbringing modern ideas about the sexual medicinefield into Africa. His manner was one of a gentlegiant. He was warm and you could always detectthe twinkle in his eye. He was serious about thisbusiness of sexual medicine and he worked tire-lessly for the spread of modern techniques for themanagement of sexual disorders. He will bemissed.”

“We all have become used to tragedy on a dailybasis with the troubles across our world, butwhen it strikes its ugly breath among one of us ithurts even more so. For those of us who knewAbrie we all comprehend deeply what his lossmeans, and for those of us who never had theopportunity to know him you will miss thatchance had you even met him just once. To hislovely wife, who was present with him at almostall of our international meetings, we send com-forts and wishes for peace and soothing the deephurt you now must feel.”

I knew Abrie the researcher well, but I alsoknew Abrie the friend. I was impressed by hisbroad support of sexual medicine encompassingwomen’s sexual health. The Schmidts traveled far-ther than anyone to attend the first Europeanmeeting of the International Society for the Studyof Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH) in Amster-dam in 2004. Abrie was like a kid in a candy store,attending the sessions fully engaged, asking ques-tions, and participating with his typical eagerness.It was with this same enthusiasm he participatedin our

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. Proud of being one of the first toresign his board membership from the previousISSM journal and to accept the invitation to servethe

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, he was profusely apologetic the one timehis review was not extensive and on time.

Abrie’s death came too early and too abruptly.His colleagues paid tribute to him by dedicatingthis year’s ISSM meeting in Cairo in his memory,and

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

pays tribute inthis small way. Abrie’s smile, his presence, hisknowledge, his humor, and his camaraderie will besorely missed.