Lakewood Cardiologist Recounts Global Journey At The Library

This painting was commissioned by Dr. Richard Watts while he was stationed in Japan from 1948 to 1950.

It is always inspiring to see someone from your hometown lead a long, successful, and interesting life. Lakewood’s rich and diverse community has, no doubt, served as home for many great personages. One notable figure is cardiologist Dr. Richard W. Watts, M.D. born in Lakewood in 1921. He has detailed his remarkable life and career in his autobiography, Odyssey of a Cardiologist, and will be speaking about it at Lakewood Public Library.

His childhood home was on Bunts Road across from Lakewood High School, where he watched teams play from the roof of his porch. We've all driven or walked on that street, I'm certain. It is humbling and inspiring that someone from our very neighborhood, from a house we can still pass by, went on to become a cardiologist and travel the world during a turbulent period of history. From Lakewood, Dr. Watts has traveled the world and has lived quite an adventure. Specializing in cardiology, Dr. Watts graduated from Case Western Reserve University of Medicine and went on to join the Army Medical Corps at an army hospital in Tokyo from 1948 to 1950. Some of his responsibilities involved serving as a prison doctor for Japanese war criminals.

He eventually returned to the United States and his impressive repertoire includes opening one of the first coronary care units in the nation at Fairview Hospital in 1964. Dr. Watts also helped establish one of the first paramedic programs in Northeast Ohio with the North Olmsted Fire Department in 1973. Additionally, he practiced internal medicine and cardiology at Kamm’s Corner and at Lakewood, Lutheran and Fairview Hospitals. Dr. Watts gives yearly presentations on the progress of cardiology with nationally renowned experts. He has given medical talks in the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Australia, and will be speaking at our very own library! Come hear about this amazing life from the very man who lived it on Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at the Main Library Auditorium.

Samiha Abusharekh

I am currently an undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University studying biology on a pre-medical tract. I also work part time at the Lakewood Public Library. I've lived in Lakewood for about 8 years and I love it!

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Volume 11, Issue 6, Posted 4:41 PM, 03.17.2015