Willem Kolff WW2 German Artificial Heart Hand Signed Photo

CHAU2161  A  5" x 3" vintage hand signed photo for Willem Kolff (February 14, 1911 February 11, 2009) who was a wartime pioneer of hemodialysis, artificial heart, as well as in the entire field of artificial organs. Willem was a member of the Kolff family, an old Dutch patrician family. He made his major discoveries in the field of dialysis for kidney failure during the Second World War..  Kolff has personally autographed the photo where his signature rests perfectly accompanying his portrait undedicated and in mint condition.  It comes complete with the letter from the surgeon to the medical student correspondent on his official headed paper authenticating his photo for the ultimate in lifetime COA - the letter is folded once where posted otherwise mint.  You will not get a better autograph opportunity for Kolff anywhere as this is on his official headed paper and authenticates the accompanying signed photo he sent the medical student. (please note I have laid both together on the scanner with the photo in front so partially covering the letter, but they are two separate items and both pristine).

During World War II, he was in Kampen, where he was active in the resistance against the German occupation. Simultaneously, Kolff developed the first functioning artificial kidney.He treated his first patient in 1943, and in 1945 he was able to save a patient's life with hemodialysis treatment. In 1946 he obtained a PhD degree summa cum laude at University of Groningen on the subject. It marks the start of a treatment that has saved the lives of millions of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney failure patients ever since.