UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga academic community mourns again. Professor of Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine UNAIR Prof.Dr. Paul Gunawan Budiarto, Sp.S (K) died at the age of 84 years.

Prof.Dr. Paul Gunawan Budiarto, Sp.S (K) or known as Prof Gun died on Saturday, January 20 at RS Adi Husada, Surabaya. Before being cremated in Eka Praya, the body was rested in FK UNAIR Hall and Widya Mandala Catholic University of Surabaya (Unika WM) on Thursday, January 23.

Feeling of loss was not only seen from the extended family. The passing of Jeanne Anggraini Budiarto’s husband also left sadness in the minds of other physicians, especially the neurology physicists of FK UNAIR.

There were two proteges of Prof Gun from two different years, Prof. Troeboes Poerwadi, P dr., Sp.S and Ahmad Firdaus, dr., Sp.S.  attending the memorial service. They shared a piece of memories they had with the professor.

As a student, Firdaus was impressed with the figure of Prof Gun. For him, Prof Gun was a role model. During his lifetime, Prof Gun was known as a patient, discipline teacher. In the field of neuro intervention, Firdaus felt the ease during the learning process with the deceased.

The field of neuro intervention is a branch of neurology that deals with blood vessels and strokes. Prof Gun is a stroke expert who managed to build the foundations of stroke management science. So the students can now feel the benefit from Prof Gun contribution.

“At that time the medical devices were not as sophisticated as they are now. But thanks to the stroke science that he developed, the learning is easier and we can adapt to follow the development of medical technology now. That’s what we get from him, “said the doctor graduated from FK UNAIR undergraduate degree in 2000.

Prof Gun’s position as the most senior teacher, did not necessarily limit the distance to the students. Prof Gun kept building communication, as there was no distance with the generations below him.

Firdaus remembered well, even though Prof Gun had been elderly, yet he remained actively communicating with other physician colleagues in the neurology mailing list discussion group . Through this group, thousands of nerve specialists throughout Indonesia meet and discuss via cyberspace.

“If we share the latest articles, recent research, he actively commented. For me it was special, because despite being old he remained open with the development of technology, “he said.

Meanwhile, profound impression was also felt by Prof. Troeboes who is also Professor of Neurology Science FK UNAIR. As a person who has learned from Prof Gun, the graduate of the 1968 Class Neurology Specialist was still impressed with the deceased’s patience and diligence in teaching.

Prof Troeboes still remembered his last encounter with Prof Gun when he was visited his grandson in RS Premier Surabaya. He accidentally met him. Prof Gun said “apes mas trubus (It’s too bad Mas Trubus)“. I replied “Why Sir?”

Prof Gun told me that he was ill and had given in. ” Nek wes tumor yo wes bar (If it is a tumor, it’s over) ,” he said imitating Prof Gun’s remarks that had received treatment in Singapore at that time.

During his lifetime, Prof Gun never complained of pain to Prof. Troeboes. “When I went to Adi Yasa to see the deceased, I saw his face looked giving in,” he said.

Life must be lived with gratitude and passion, including when facing God’s destiny in form of illnesses.

“In my opinion, death is part of the journey of life, we should accept it  wholeheartedly,” he said. (*)

Author: Sefya Hayu Istighfaricha

Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh