Memorial honors late professor

Kayla Webley
2004-02-23
The Daily

Memorial services were held Friday at University Congressional Church for a former UW professor of medicine, Dr. Robert Bruce, who died Feb. 12 at the age of 87.

Bruce was the pioneer of the UW cardiology department. He headed the department for more than 30 years.

During his time at the UW, Bruce developed the treadmill test to help diagnose suffers of heart disease. This test, also known as the "Bruce protocol," earned him the title of "the father of exercise cardiology."

According to Bruce's colleague, Dr. Doug Stewart, "every cardiologist in the world can recognize his name."

Bruce was always fascinated by the cardiology field and, according to a colleague, was still inquiring about new advancements in the field up until one week before his death.

Bruce spent his last days at the Ida Culver House, an assisted-living community, where a tribute was paid to him the night before his passing. His friends described the event as a wonderful way to honor Bruce and his accomplishments. Even in his weakened state, according to attendants, Bruce was still able to understand the love and appreciation shed upon him.

Bruce's most notable accomplishment, the protocol, develops a physical-fitness index for patients that helps measure the heart's capacity to pump blood. Numerous colleagues joked about Bruce's detail in his testing, saying that, while working with Bruce, they were on the treadmill ad nauseam.

In addition to helping disease sufferers, Bruce, an avid exerciser who walked a mile a day up until his leukemia prevented him, hoped his test would motivate people to change their bad habits.

His test is still used worldwide and has helped countless people. One woman gave her thanks to Bruce and his team for giving her what she said was an additional 41 years of life.

In addition to his work at the UW, Bruce served as a visiting professor worldwide and was involved in research for the Seattle Heart Watch program. This program relied on Bruce's treadmill test to collect data from thousands of participants over a decade's time to determine the feasibility and safety of exercise testing when paired with conventional risk factors, such as smoking.

One of Bruce's three sons, Peter, showed a different side of the scientist. He described Bruce as a supportive, loving and wonderful father.

"[He] would do things at great costs to himself," he said, "He gave so much of himself to me and my family."

Another family member, Bruce's granddaughter, described Bruce as a, "man with the biggest heart and most loving and warm arms."

She said that having Bruce as grandfather was the biggest gift her family has ever gotten.

Colleague Dr. Larry Ralph reflected on Bruce's life and the choices he made in his career.

"[He] took the road less traveled and it has made a big difference to us all," he said



Remembrances may be made to Cardiology Fellows Resource Center, University of Washington Division of Cardiology, Box 356422, Seattle, WA 98195-6422.