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Spring 2009 SODBP Newsletter

A Tribute to William I. Cohen, MD, FAAP

We want to dedicate this issue to the memory of Dr Bill Cohen. Bill tirelessly donated his time and energy to the AAP. He served on the SODBP Executive Committee from 2000–2006 and was a frequent speaker for the NCE and Practical Pediatrics. He was a dear friend to all that knew him and a wonderful advocate for children with special needs. We miss him greatly. Dr Heidi Feldman, a close friend and colleague, wrote the tribute below: William I. Cohen, MD was a remarkable and internationally recognized physician. He honed an interest in developmental-behavioral pediatrics in the late 1970s, and thereby can be considered a pioneer of the emerging field. He initially focused on the behavioral side of the hyphen, acquiring expertise in hypnosis for children and certification as a marriage and family counselor. He worked in both university and private practice settings.

Dr Cohen rejoined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1989 to assume leadership of the new Down Syndrome Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He brought the behavioral orientation to the developmental side of the hyphen. A hallmark of the program under his leadership was its comprehensive nature. He was skilled at helping families understand and tackle challenging medical complications of the chromosomal disorder. He was equally sensitive about behavioral, school, or family issues. He helped launch the adult services and had a special clinic to address the behavioral problems of children with Down syndrome, the issue that is as likely to impair life-long function as is cognitive impairment.  Dr. Cohen co-founded the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group, a network for clinicians and researchers around the world. He edited the practice guidelines for the care of individuals with Down syndrome. He lectured nationally and internationally about quality care for individuals with Down syndrome, breaking bad news to families, and many other related topics.

Dr Cohen remained steadfastly interested in improving the communication skills of medical students and practicing physicians. He taught medical interviewing at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School for over 30 years and eventually became the course director. He was an active Balint group leader. The Balint approach is notable for allowing physicians and students committed to improving communication to probe their own predilections and skills in the context of a supportive community. This approach was the essence of Bill’s philosophy.

Bill’s professional accomplishments tell only part of the rich picture of his life. He was a modern day Renaissance Man. He was a devoted father to Sarah and Ben and loving partner to Donald. He sang in the Gay Men’s choir of Pittsburgh, whose Christmas concert is definitely worth a trip to the ‘burgh. He was an avid roller blader, dominating the hills of Pittsburgh on Friday nights and the twisted routes in Florida and Barcelona on annual junkets. He knew the reviews of just about every play on Broadway. He had mastered the best of Weight Watcher’s recipes. We were all particularly fond of the pumpkin mousse at Thanksgiving. He was a faithful member of his book club. And then, he was an extraordinary friend. He remembered the details of your life, and of the lives of your loved ones. He was a terrific listener and a judicious advice giver. In fact, he usually led you to find your own personal advice, which he then supported. It is amazing to count how many folks considered him a close friend.

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Publication date: Oct 26, 2009
Revise date: Oct 26, 2009
TextID: 730