It is with deep sadness that I share the announce of the death of Dr Manuel Neves e Castro, who passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home on 28 November 2022 at age 90. He was surrounded in his last hours by his loving family.
Manel, who was born in Lisbon, Portugal on July 12, 1932, had three guide-sentences in his life that help to understand him accurately: “One must conclude when one has begun to think, just as one must act when one has reached the conclusion" (Charles Maurras), “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come” (Victor Hugo) and "Living is not just living. It's existing and creating, knowing how to enjoy and suffer and not sleeping without dreaming. Resting is starting to die" (Gregorio Marañon).
After medical school at Lisbon University, he did an internship at Pasteur Institute and Sorbonne University in Paris. Later, he undertook gynecological training at Pennsylvania University and studied steroid biochemistry at Clark University. Shortly thereafter was admitted as research scientist at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology under the influence of Profs. Ralph Dorfman, Gregory Pincus and M. C. Chang. Even young at this time, his brilliant mind captured the interest of his peers and was invited to work at Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.) and at the Jefferson College of Medicine (Philadelphia), where later was promoted to visiting Full Professor. He was also Guest Professor at Medicine Faculty in Gama Filho University (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and honorary Professor of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine at the University of Chicago.
Manel was the first introducing the contraceptive pill in Portugal in the sixties and in 1967 founded the Portuguese Contraception Society. Moreover, his interest in steroids led him to introduce new hormone measurement methods, which allowed her to start new ovulation stimulation treatments, with human gonadotropins and daily hormonal monitoring of stimulated cycles and in 1975 he created the Portuguese Society of Reproductive Medicine – later affiliated to the International Federation of Fertility Societies. In short, all topics included in the field of reproductive endocrinology was a focus of his interest and menopause was the main target. In 1978 took part in the constitution of the International Menopause Society, being board member until 2006 and one of the promoters of the celebration of the World Menopause Day. In 1995 founded the Portuguese Menopause Society and in 1998 founded with Martin Birkhauser the European Menopause and Andropause Society.
He was a generous and caring leader who treated his colleagues, trainers, and nursing staff with respect and support. Until his last days, Manel combined caring for his patients with teaching and research at his holistic feminology clinic, as he liked to call women’s global care. During his tenure he trained a myriad of successful duly certified menopausal trainees and recruited several colleagues to join and enlarge the division’s expertise in endocrinological gynecology. That legacy continues to this day.
In brief, he wanted to be a doctor and he was, he wanted to investigate and he did it, he wanted to create and he did original works, he wanted to transmit knowledge and he was and excellent teacher, he wanted to be present in the world and he was and will be.