Heartfelt Sentiments from the International Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group

Umberto Ricardi (Torino, Italy)

My deepest condolences and prayers for such a great man, physician and scientist!
I am sure a great way to remember Peter will be found. No doubts he deserves that!
I will chair and speak tomorrow morning at ESMO in Madrid in a session on early stage Hodgkin Lymphoma! Peter will be with me!!!

Follow up note from Umberto regarding his lecture on 9/9/2018: During my lecture at ESMO, I presented the ILROG slide with Thomas Hodgkin behind all of us, and with Peter close to me!
He was with me indeed defending combined modality therapy versus chemo alone in early stage Hodgkin lymphoma at ESMO meeting.

 Theodore and Penny Girinsky (Paris, France)

It is with great sorrow we received the news that Peter had passed away.
Peter was an outstanding human being, doctor and scientist.
He had an immense courage which never waned and wilted despite these very long years of fighting cancer and holding it at bay.
My deep condolences to his family and beloved children.

 Youlia Kirova (Paris, France)

It was nice that we shared some moments with Peter in Boston this year, 
My sincere condolences and obviously if you need any help or support, let me know.

 Berthe Aleman (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

I agree with all of you that we have lost a very special colleague. I very much admired him for the way he continued to live his life despite his illness.
I would like to wish his loved ones and friends strength to deal with their loss

David Hodgson (Toronto, Canada)

Oh what awful news for the Dana-Farber and the oncology community everywhere. It is like a punch to the gut, even though it was expected.  Peter was a such great role model of quiet intellect and humanity, in an era of self-promoting blowhards.  We will be lucky to be as well-regarded.

 Sandy Constine (Rochester, NY)

A void now exists in all of our lives that cannot be filled, and our anguish will persist.  Peter was so gracious, elegant, truly wondrous with a love for life that shone so clearly in his eyes, and a wisdom on why life was so precious.  Reading your eloquent words creates shivers in me and brings a flood of memories.  The world is diminished by his absence, but was enriched by his presence.  Below is a poem written by my childhood rabbi that sometimes brings perspective in these sorrowful moments.  

Birth is a beginning
And death a destination.
And life is a journey:
From childhood to maturity
And youth to age;
From innocence to awareness
And ignorance to knowing;
From foolishness to discretion
            And then, perhaps, to wisdom;
From weakness to strength
Or strength to weakness--
And, often, back again:
From health to sickness
            And back, we pray, to health again;
From offense to forgiveness,
From loneliness to love,
From joy to gratitude,
From pain to compassion,
And grief to understanding--
            From fear to faith;
From defeat to defeat to defeat--
Until, looking backward or ahead,
We see that victory lies
Not at some high place along the way,
But in having made the journey, stage by stage,
            A sacred pilgrimage.
Birth is a beginning

— Alvin Fine

Andrew Wirth (Melbourne, Australia)

I am so sorry to hear this tragic news. I remember him as a dedicated, gentle and selfless person, and it was an honour to have known him. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Keisuke Sasai (Tokyo, Japan)

I experienced a heavy heart at learning the sad news of the loss of Peter.  He was a great guy and I have learnt a lot from him.  I extend my condolences to his family and all who worked him.

Mary Gospodarowicz (Toronto, Canada)

Peter was a good friend and partner in our lymphoma group of friends. Please let me know if you are planning to honour him in some way and if we can contribute.

Please extend my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues

Christopher Rose (Beverly Hills, California)

The net of people who knew and loved Peter is wide and deep.  And those of us who abided with him from afar appreciated the respect and concern and contact that his colleagues at the LROC extended to him. We know what an extraordinary friend, father, teacher, and doctor he was.

Anne Kiil Berthelsen (Copenhagen, Denmark)

I am very sad to learn that Peter has died. It was an honour for all of us to know him. It was a privilege for us at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen to treat him on several occasions.

Tim Illidge (Manchester, UK)

I just returned to work today and am so saddened to hear of this news.  Peter was an inspiration to those of us developing an interest in the use of radiotherapy in lymphoma. He was an outstandingly warm and humble human being who will be missed by so many, but who has left a wonderful legacy.  We must work towards the best way of remembering him within ILROG and as start I would suggest a named memorial lecture for one of our annual meetings.

Chelsea Pinnix (Houston, TX)

I am deeply saddened to hear this news.  I'm sorry for the wonderful friend you have lost.  It was nice to have the opportunity to honor him in an intimate setting at the Boston ILROG meeting.  My thoughts and prayers are with each of you and his family.

Masahiko Oguchi (Tokyo, Japan)

I extend my condolences to his family. I would like to add the “Peter Mauch Memorial Lecture” in the Tokyo ILROG educational meeting in 2019.

George Mikhaeel (London, UK)

We lost a wonderful role model and a giant figure who was an inspiration, not only as a wise caring distinguished but humble professional but also as a remarkable human being who has shown such dignity and courage in dealing with his disease.  It was such a privilege to see him one last time in Boston.  My sincere condolences to us all.

Alex Balogh (Vancouver, Canada)

Peter was an inspiration to all of us who treat lymphoma. My deepest condolences to Peter's family. My thoughts and prayers are with Peter and his family

Richard Hoppe (Palo Alto, California)

This is a great loss for us all, but especially for his children that he loved so dearly.  He had so many notable qualities that few can compare.  We all have many happy memories of our times with Peter, which we will cherish.

Yolanda Tseng (Seattle, Washington)

I'm very sorry to hear of Dr. Mauch's passing, and hope there was some peace for him and his family.

Yexiong Li (Beijing, China)

It is really sad news. We lost a friend and colleague. Please extend my condolences to his family.

Hans Eich (Münster, Germany)

In memory of Peter, I send you an image of the Gerhard Richter window in the Cologne cathedral. In Cologne, I met Peter the first time.  My thoughts are with you.