05/18/2021    John M. Giurini, DPM

The Passing of Geoffry M. Habershaw, DPM

On May 14, podiatry lost a giant in the
profession. Dr. Geoffrey Habershaw passed away
suddenly doing something he enjoyed: walking on
the beach with his wife, Nanette, in Hawaii.
Geoff was my first residency director, first
Chief, a mentor and a colleague. So much of what
I learned and have become is because of Geoff. He
taught me to be definitive and innovative in
surgery. He taught me to treat all patients with
respect. He served as a mentor to so many
residents and future diabetic foot specialists.
In fact it can be argued that Geoff helped
establish surgical care of the diabetic foot as a
distinct specialty.

Geoff Habershaw succeeded Jack Donovan as Chief
of Podiatry at the New England Deaconess Hospital
in the early 80s. He started a collaboration with
Drs. Frank Wheelock, Gary Gibbons and George
Kozak that led to the development of the
multidisciplinary approach for the management of
diabetic foot problems. This has become the
standard for the care of this challenging
problem. His surgical approach to the diabetic
foot set the surgical standard and lay the
groundwork for reconstructive surgery of the
diabetic foot.

Personally, Geoff served as a mentor as I
succeeded him as Chief. Knowing that I could not
fill his shoes, I could only try to emulate the
respect he showed his patients and staff. He
would always care for some of the most difficult
patients, not only from a clinical standpoint but
from a social standpoint, always with compassion
and respect.

One of my first interactions with Geoff was the
morning he called me to offer me the residency
program. It was January, 1983. It was the year
that CASPR had suspended the match. Students were
being offered programs immediately after the
interview and expected to make a decision on the
spot. Geoff called me at 6am California time to
offer me the program. He told me to take a few
days to think about it before responding. That
showed me the true gentleman that Geoff was. I
told him I didn’t need to think about it – I
accepted on the spot. To say that phone call
changed my life would be beyond an
understatement.

I know that I speak for everyone that came in
contact with Geoff, worked with him, trained by
him or treated by him, that he will be deeply
missed but forever remembered as someone who
truly changed lives. To Nanette, Austin, and
Hilary, please accept my deepest condolences for
your loss. We all lost a great man.

John M. Giurini, DPM, Boston, MA

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