Dr. Hampar Kelikian
4 Remarkable things about Dr. Hampar Kelikian
Arrived in Chicago from Armenia with only $2 and a rug to his name.
Helped repair Sen. Bob Dole’s physical condition and his mind.
Published 33 articles in his field
Worked with Sen. Bob Dole in the 70’s and 80’s for recognition of the Armenian Genocide
Dr. Hampar Kelikian, Orthopedic Surgeon Emeritus, still performed as many as 10 operations a week at the age of 80. He was featured in People Magazine in September 1979 which emphasized the compassion he showed for his patients and his pioneering methods to improve surgeries which dealt with deformities of the foot and hand.
Took hold of opportunity for education
Hampartzoum Kelikian was born in Hadjin, Ottoman Empire in 1899. He lost three of his sisters during the 1915 Armenian Genocide. His family fled to Lebanon but Hampartzoum went to Istanbul and from there to the United States to find a relative in Chicago. After arriving in Chicago in 1920 with only $2 and a rug to his name, he found work on a farm near Waukegan, Ill. His work and determination so impressed his employer that when the farmer won a prize, he gave the money to the young immigrant as a college scholarship. Working in the school’s laundry and cafeteria, Dr. Kelikian went to college and to Rush Medical School. Obituary, The Armenian Reporter, August 18,1982.
Chose a career few pursued
Dr. Kelikian and Bob Dole posing for a picture
Dr. Kelikian completed his internship at Cook County Hospital and in 1929 became first assistant to Dr. Philip H. Kreuscher, a world-famous Chicago surgeon who was at the forefront of orthopedic arthroscopic surgery. During WWII he served as a lieutenant colonel and orthopedic surgeon overseas. He was decorated by President Truman and the British for his services in reconstructing soldiers’ mangled hands and feet. After the war he returned to Chicago to rehabilitate congenital deformities of children – such as Gigantism with the skills he honed during the war. This was an “orphan” field in medicine with few practitioners because surgery was so difficult. Most surgeons simply amputated the enlarged hands or feet.
“Kelikian inspired me to focus on what I had left and what I could do with it, rather than complaining about what had been lost.” - Sen. Bob Dole
In 1947 Dr. Kelikian met Bob Dole, a soldier who had been gravely wounded in Italy during the war. He had suffered in army hospitals for three years with no relief or advancement in his condition. Dr. Kelikian helped restore his physical condition and his mind. He performed 7 surgeries on Senator Dole over a period of years, helping him accept his handicap, overcome it and believe in his future. Over the years the two men became close friends which led to Senator Dole working to push for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the United States during the 1970’s and 80’s.
Sharing his knowledge
Dr. Kelikian wrote two surgical reference works; one on the foot, the other on congenital deformities of the hand and forearm. He also published 33 articles in his field. That is his gift to the world – using his expertise to better the lives of countless children and the soldiers during and after WWII.