Emil Freireich, a pioneer of chemotherapy and ‘towering figure in oncology,’ dies at 93
His success with patients who others believed to be lost causes vastly expanded options for treatment.
By Emily LangerThe Washington Post
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Emil Freireich, a physician-scientist who helped engineer effective treatments for childhood leukemia at a time when the disease was considered a death sentence, an advance that magnified the promise of chemotherapy and was credited with saving tens of thousands of lives, died Feb. 1 in Houston. He was 93.
His death was announced by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where Dr. Freireich worked for half a century and where he died. A spokeswoman for the center said that he had covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but that the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Leukemia treatment pioneer dies of COVID-19 By KTRK staff | February 4, 2021 at 6:46 AM EST - Updated February 4 at 6:46 AM
HOUSTON (KTRK) - A man who saved countless lives has lost his own to COVID-19.
Dr. Emil J. Freireich, who revolutionized the treatment of children with leukemia, sadly passed away from COVID-19 at the age of 93.
“My dad has always been my best friend and mentor,” said his daughter, Lindsay Freireich. She always knew him as dad. To others, he was truly the father of modern leukemia therapy.
He helped introduce the idea of treating childhood leukemia with combination chemotherapy.
She says her father was an amazing man, and she wants everyone to know how much he cared about trying to cure cancer.
HOUSTON, Texas There s no telling how many lives Dr. Emil Freireich saved during his legendary career, which included treatments for childhood Leukemia. Now, many are remembering the titan of the Houston health care industry who lost his battle with COVID-19. My dad has always been my best friend and mentor. [He] helped me get through all my cancers. I m in complete remission, cancer-free, said the late doctor s daughter, Lindsay Freireich.
Lindsay said her father was an amazing man and she wants everyone to know how much he cared about trying to cure cancer. He really put his patients first. He believed everybody deserved another day, she said.