Abstract
Edgard Raffaelli Jr, Brazil, was one of the founding fathers of headache as a medical subspecialty in Brazil. He graduated in Medicine from the prestigious School of Medicine at The University of São Paulo in 1959 and received training in neurosurgery at the Clinic Hospital of São Paulo University from 1960 to 1962. He began practising as Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the Clinic Hospital of the University, as well as in the very large ‘Hospital do Servidor Público’ in São Paulo. From 1970 to 1976 he was also the Chief Neurosurgeon at the Hospital Brazil in Santo André, in the São Paulo suburbs. In 1973 he received his doctoral degree defending the thesis ‘Mycotic aneurysms’ at São Paulo University.
Dr Raffaelli Jnr was one of the founders of the Brazilian Headache Society (BHS) and was its president for 20 years. He was also one of the founders of the International Headache Society, and was awarded Honorary Membership of both societies. Dr Raffaelli also belonged to the editorial bodies of Functional Neurology and Cephalalgia.
The BHS is a thriving entity with around 500 members, and headache is seen as an important part of neurological training in many centres across Brazil. The society is one of the largest headache societies in the world and an important voice in publication and reputation.
In the field of headache research, Dr Raffaelli had original ideas, e.g. the limbic origin of migraine. He also insisted on the concept that migraine should be seen not just as an episodic disorder, but also as a chronic recurrent, and sometimes progressive, disorder.
Throughout his life he established many of the principles which took headache into the realm of medical training in Brazil and recognized common headache disorders as neurological problems rather than, for example, personality weaknesses.
He enjoyed the respect of colleagues worldwide. In spite of suffering from many chronic conditions, Dr Raffaelli Jnr practised until his final weeks. He passed away in December 2006.