Dr. Michael Shannon, Children's ER leader, dies suddenly

Dr. Michael Shannon, a prominent pediatrician who strived to improve the health and safety of children as an emergency medicine specialist at Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, has died, the hospital confirmed today.

Shannon, 55, died suddenly while returning from a trip to Argentina, according to an internal message sent this afternoon to Children's staff by hospital CEO Dr. James Mandell.

"We are nothing short of devastated by this news and this incredible loss," Mandell said.
"Michael was an incredibly personable, highly talented clinician, researcher and person."

Shannon pushed for better formulations of drugs for children and testified in Washington on the unproven value of cold medicines for children. A clinician and a researcher, his interests also included substance abuse and environmental health as well as drug interactions.

The first African-American to be named a full professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, he had been chief of emergency medicine and chief of clinical pharmacology since joining Children's in 1983.

Shannon was also a modern dancer, who began dancing while an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis and later while at Duke University School of Medicine. He danced professionally and also appeared in local productions of "Black Nativity" and "Urban Nutcracker."

"Michael was a true Renaissance man, both in the field of medicine and in his personal life," Mandell's message said. "The loss to this community, both inside and outside the walls of Children’s, is enormous. His quiet, gentlemanly ways will be greatly missed."

Shannon leaves his wife, Elaine, and two young-adult children, Mandell's memo said. Further details about his death were not immediately available.