Celebrity surgeon: Christiaan Barnard - a life

Performing the first heart transplant thrust Barnard into the international limelight where he was portrayed as both pioneering doctor and playboy. As word of his success spread, he was rapidly revealed in the media as a dynamic, daring and charismatic man who challenged the conventions of his profession. He became a household name and international celebrity mixing with world leaders, royalty, Hollywood stars and the media alike. He was mobbed like a pop star in some countries, and hailed as a miracle-worker in others. But the success brought by that first historic heart transplant had its price. Many of his colleagues disparaged him as a surgical opportunist who built his success on the groundwork of others and accused him of indulging in an unseemly race to beat American surgeons working in the field. The media increasingly accused him of actively pursuing fame and fortune. They made much of his affinity for travel, fine clothes and glamorous and ever-younger women. Politically, Barnard’s views won him critics both inside and outside South Africa. He often spoke out against apartheid, yet became actively involved in South Africa’s secret propaganda war. Previously unpublished details reveal particulars of his collaboration with the Department of Information, and the ensuing Scandal, which led to the downfall of a president and cabinet minister. While the significance of his work is still widely recognized today, Barnard remains a controversial figure. This first-ever full biography examines the complexities and contradictions of the celebrity surgeon who remains a household name across the world. Through numerous interviews and extensive research, Logan uncovers the real Chris Barnard: from his boyhood in Beaufort West, his medical training, his first fulltime job to how he became a surgeon and finally succeeded in a human transplant. His troubled personal relationships are also described – he was married and divorced three times, and fathered six children.