Memorial day held in honor of ophthalmology pioneer Prof. Čupak

In memory of the renowned ophthalmologist Prof. Krešimir Čupak, MD, PhD, the sixth “Young Ophthalmologists” mini-symposium was held on Monday, May 30, 2016, at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb. Fourteen young ophthalmologists presented their research, while four awards from the Prof. Ljiljana Zergollern, MD, PhD,  and Krešimir Čupak Foundation were presented to young researchers.

The award recipients were Mateja Končarević, MD from the Svjetlost Clinic, who presented the results of a comparison of corneal flap morphology between two microkeratomes and three femtosecond lasers; Benedict Rak, MD from Sveti Duh University Hospital, for his presentation “Introduction to Cross-Linking: From Physics to Medicine”; Kristina Lončarić, MD from Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital, who presented the results of a comparison between the Cluster algorithm in Octopus perimetry and trend analysis for detecting glaucoma progression; and Ana Meter, MD from University Hospital Centre Zagreb, whose presentation focused on the “Use of EDTA in the Treatment of Calcific Band Keratopathy.”

The Memorial Day honoring Prof. Krešimir Čupak, MD, PhD,  a pioneer of ophthalmology in this region, was organized by the Department of Ophthalmology of the University Hospital Centre Zagreb and the University of Zagreb School of Medicine, the Svjetlost Clinic, the Department of Ophthalmology at Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital, the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Osijek School of Medicine, Sveti Duh University Hospital, the Croatian Ophthalmological Society, and the Prof. Ljiljana Zergollern, MD, PhD and Krešimir Čupak Foundation.

“Prof. Čupak was the person most responsible for the technological transformation of Croatian ophthalmology from the 19th into the 20th century. He also placed particular emphasis on the development of young ophthalmologists, which is why we are here today,” said Assoc. Prof. Tomislav Jukić, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at University Hospital Centre Zagreb, in his opening speech.

Prof. Zoran Vatavuk, MD, PhD President of the Croatian Society of Ophthalmology and Optometry, recalled several distinguished professors who helped shape the careers of today’s generation of experienced ophthalmologists, noting that they all shared the same teacher, Prof. Čupak.

“Professor Čupak was the head of all three major ophthalmology clinics in Zagreb, and he also participated in the development of the Svjetlost Clinic, supporting his best student, Prof. Nikica Gabrić. He left behind dozens of professors, associate professors, surgeons and students who made ophthalmology a respected part of Croatian healthcare and medicine,” said Prof. Mladen Bušić, MD, PhD Director of Sveti Duh University Hospital.

Professor Nikica Gabrić emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge and offered a message to the symposium participants: “Professor and Mrs. Čupak did not have children of their own, but they educated and developed hundreds of professionals. If you also want to achieve greatness, you must educate and invest in other people.”

He also noted that the Čupaks had left €500,000 to the Foundation they established to provide scholarships for young pediatricians and ophthalmologists. More than half a million kuna had already been invested in young professionals at the time, without reducing the Foundation’s principal.

“Education is the only thing that truly matters, and that is why we will continue to invest in it,” Prof. Gabrić, MD, PhD said.

The Foundation, established by the Čupaks in 2009, has so far provided scholarships to 19 doctoral students in pediatrics and ophthalmology and awarded 30 financial prizes for outstanding research papers by young ophthalmologists.

“Today we heard some excellent presentations, and it makes me very happy to see how our young professionals are developing. By doing so, you confirm that our commitment was the right one. Thank you for that,” concluded Prof. Ljiljana Zergollern Čupak, MD, PhD.