It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Dr. Vainutis K. Vaitkevicius (Dr. Vee) on Dec. 24. He was 90 years old.
Dr. Vee has been a beloved member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute family since 1958 and a longtime faculty member at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Although he retired from Karmanos in 2016 after a long and successful career as a scientist, educator, mentor and compassionate healer, his legacy continues and his contributions to Karmanos and the world of oncology care and research will forever be changed for the better.
Dr. Vee was born in Lithuania Jan. 12, 1927. He dreamed of becoming a classical pianist. World War II drastically changed those plans. At the age of 12, Dr. Vee witnessed the death of many of his family members and others were sent to work camps. While he was at a work camp, his hand was badly injured. That accident ended his aspirations of becoming an accomplished pianist. He then turned his focus to medicine.
In 1951, Dr. Vee earned his medical degree from J.W. Goeth University in Frankfurt, Germany, and traveled to Grace Hospital in Detroit to begin his internship. He served in the United States Army from 1953 – 1955 and then began his residency at Grace Hospital. He also did a residency at Detroit Receiving Hospital. In 1958, he was awarded a fellowship in medical oncology at the Detroit Institute of Cancer Research, which would later become the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Dr. Vee was appointed clinical director of the Detroit Institute for Cancer Research in 1968 and prior to that, he was appointed associate professor of medicine at Wayne State University. He was named professor of medicine in 1972 and appointed chairman of WSU’s Department of Oncology. Dr. Vee was named chief of oncology at Harper-Grace Hospital in 1977 and in 1978, he was named associate director for clinical activities at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit. Dr. Vee was instrumental in securing Karmanos’ National Cancer Institute designation as a comprehensive cancer center. Karmanos is privileged to continue that distinction today. In 1991, he served as president of the Michigan Cancer Foundation; and in 1995, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and later served as interim president. He continued to care for his patients until he retired in 2016.
Dr. Vee has received numerous recognitions and awards for his leadership through the years. Here are just a few: Best Clinical Teacher of the Year by WSU; Life Award from the American Cancer Society of Metropolitan Detroit; The Detroit News Michiganian of the Year; National Jewish Federation’s Tree-of-Life Award; Hospice Humanitarian Award by Hospice of Southeast Michigan; National Cancer Advisory Board appointment by President Bill Clinton; Crain’s Detroit Business Health Care Hero; and the creation of the Karmanos Cancer Institute Dr. Vainutis Vaitkevicius Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.