To mark the publication of the book Das Warschauer Konzert – oder der letzte Gang (loosely translated as “The Warsaw Concerto – or the final curtain”) by Dr. Bernard Thill, the medical education team at the University of Luxembourg organised an academic and cultural event on 5 July. The book narrates the fate of terminally ill patients, the grief of their loved ones and the experiences of the involved healthcare professionals.
The event, titled “Médecine et fin de vie – expériences et réflexions” (Medicine and the end of life – experiences and insights), took place at the Belval campus of the University in the presence of Prof. Gilbert Massard, Director of Medical Education, Dr. Bernard Thill, an expert in internal medicine and oncology, Mrs. Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, former Minister of Culture, Higher Education and Research of Luxembourg and Prof. Stéphane Pallage, Rector of the University of Luxembourg.
Around 200 guests participated in the event which began with a touching introduction from Prof. Pallage. The first-hand account of his and his family’s experiences of palliative care in Canada gave a fitting context to the evening’s proceedings.
Mrs. Hennicot-Schoepges, who wrote the book’s foreword and who’s also former piano teacher, presented the link between Dr. Thill’s work, his book and the piano on stage.
Afterwards, Dr. Thill expressed his gratitude to all people involved in both his work at the palliative care unit and the writing of his book. Dr. Thill dedicated his entire professional career to the development of palliative care in Luxembourg. Under his responsibility, Luxembourg’s first palliative care unit was opened in 1994 at the hospital of Esch-sur-Alzette, nowadays part of the Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM). Dr Thill is also the current president of Médecins du Monde Luxembourg.
The musical piece mentioned in the title of the book, the “Warsaw Concerto”, composed by Richard Addinsell, was interpreted by M. Laurent Bommertz, a first-year student of the Bachelor en Médecine (BMED). The piano that was used to play the piece belonged to the protagonist of the book and was graciously lent to the University by the CHEM. Finally, M. Hubert Hausemer, philosophy teacher, presented an exposé on the topic of medical practice and human dignity.
The event was followed by a cocktail, where guests could also get a copy of the book signed by Dr. Thill. The book is published by Editions Schortgen.
