Dr. Mary Fowkes, who Helped Science Understand the Pandemic, Dies Suddenly at 66

[BeyondGeography]

Dr. Mary Fowkes, a neuropathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan whose autopsies of Covid-19 victims early in the pandemic discovered serious damage in multiple organs — a finding that led to the successful use of higher doses of blood thinners to treat patients — died on Nov. 15 at her home in Katonah, N.Y., in Westchester County. She was 66. Her daughter, Jackie Treatman, said the cause was a heart attack.

When Dr. Fowkes (rhymes with “pokes”) and her team began their autopsies, little was known about the novel coronavirus, which was believed to be largely a respiratory disease. The first few dozen autopsies revealed that Covid-19 affected the lungs and other vital organs, and that the virus probably traveled through the body in the endothelial cells, which line the interior of blood vessels.

“We saw very small and very microscopic blood clots in the lungs, the heart, the liver — and significant blood clots in the brain,” Dr. Fowkes said in an interview on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” for a segment, broadcast on Nov. 22, on the long-term effects of Covid-19. She had been interviewed by the correspondent Anderson Cooper on Oct. 30, a little more than two weeks before her death. The clots in the brain suggested that there had been strokes, she told Mr. Cooper.

Mr. Cooper asked if she had expected to see the breadth of damage in so many organs. “No, not at all,” Dr. Fowkes said. “Nobody’s seen it like this.”

Dr. Fowkes “had a curious scientific mind and an uncompromising attitude to doing as many autopsies as possible to produce something that was unique,” Dr. Carlos Cordon-Cardo, chairman of the department of pathology, molecular and cell-based medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in a phone interview.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/26/health/dr-mary-fowkes-dead.html

Link to tweet

[Nevilledog]

1. What a loss.

😢

[tblue37]

25. This!

[In_The_Wind]

2. She will not be forgotten.

[dalton99a]

3. R.I.P.

Dr. Mary E. Fowkes November 15, 2020

Dr. Mary E. Fowkes, 66, of Katonah, NY passed away suddenly at home on Sunday evening. She was born in Clayton, NY and raised in Syracuse, NY where she resided for many years, earning her BS degree at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in 1977 and her MD and PhD degrees at SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999. She trained in Boston at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard University and continued her career in New York City where she was board certified in Neuropathology and Forensic Pathology. She then went on to become Professor of Pathology and Director of Neuropathology and Autopsy Services at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Fowkes was also a Governor of the College of American Pathologists, former President of the New York State Society of Pathologists, and a distinguished graduate and adjunct professor in Environmental and Forest Biology at SUNY ESF. Dr. Fowkes had a passion for medicine, passed on by her grandfather and great grandfather, and was in her element leading new research on COVID-19 and advocating for scientific discovery through autopsies. When not at the microscope, she baked, sharing pies and fresh bread with her family and colleagues. She was also devoted to animal welfare and had an undying love of the outdoors. She thoroughly enjoyed spending time with family and friends at the "cottage" overlooking Sharbot Lake in Ontario, Canada. She is survived by her mother, Isabel; brothers John and Mark; sister-in-law, Catherine; son, Derek Treatman; daughter, Jacquelyn Treatman; daughter-in-law, Leah Gatt; and niece, Jessanie Wartooth. She was preceded in death by her father, Glen, and brother, Matthew. She will be missed deeply and remembered always. A virtual memorial service will be held on December 13, 2020 at 5pm. For details and to send condolences, visit www.dorseycarlonefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Mary-Fowkes. Burial will ultimately be at Grove Cemetery in La Fargeville, NY. Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Care Centers of NYC (www.nycacc.org/get-involved/donate) or the College of American Pathologists (capfoundation.thankyou4caring.org/rwd/donate)

Published in Syracuse Post Standard from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22, 2020.

[Hugin]

8. ...

Damn.

[blm]

4. Such a loss to the world.

[IsItJustMe]

5. We always have to remember that despite people like T****, McConnel, and Gram

that there are truly great people in America, like this woman, who are genuinely trying to help humanity.

[BeyondGeography]

7. Well said

Thank you.

[StarryNite]

6. Oh, noooo

[bronxiteforever]

9. Rest in Power, Doctor.

[MerryBlooms]

10. .

[GeorgeGist]

11. Godspeed Dr .Fowkes

[SergeStorms]

12. Probably the stress...

associated with seeing so many die from this mostly preventable disease. Such a shame at only 66 years of age. Rest in deepest peace, Dr. Fowkes.

[Illumination]

13. It's so unfortunate she's gone, but just look @ what a trail blazer she was!...

..... .....

[NurseJackie]

14. But Trump and McConnell continue to breathe. Where's Karma when you need her?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Fowkes died living a life of fulfillment. tRump will die raging at the universe. McCONnell?

tRump won't die penniless as long as there is Twitter or Parler for him. But he may have to pinch the pennies.

And he will never get the love he craves from the people he admires. He despises the base that adores him.


I don't know how McCONnell sleeps at night.

[NurseJackie]

21. I guess he's afraid of his wife's ties to Chinese organized crime, or something.

One day we'll find out what compromising evidence Russia has on McConnell, Trump... and that "Southern Gentleman" Linseed Gram.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. The stress toll from this pandemic is unimaginable

To all medical professionals, serving, deceased, incapacitated, moved on, we must all thank you.

[llmart]

16. What her research showed is what the willfully ignorant forget.

There are way too many people now who think they'll just not worry about getting Covid because "I'll just suffer through it and recover and be immune" without any regard to what damage might have been done to other organs that may not show up until later.

I swear, nothing short of them getting virulently sick or killing someone close to them is going to wake these people up and there are many, many of them in our country.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

28. Yes, she proved that unseen damage.

[mrs_p]

17. RIP. Much respect to Dr. Fowkes.

As an animal pathologist, I feel this loss for the medical and scientific communities. And as a mom, for her family too.

[PatrickforO]

18. May she have eternal rest in perpetual light.

This is a horrible, premature loss for us.

[onecaliberal]

20. :

💔😢

[paleotn]

22. A true American hero.

[burrowowl]

23. RIP

What a loss.

[IcyPeas]

24. big loss

life's not fair.

[littlemissmartypants]

26. ...

[scipan]

27. Her light burned bright

and was extinguished way too soon.