The Caribbean Cardiac Society was launched in 1988, two years after the first Cardiology meeting in 1986.

The success of the first conference which was held by distance mode, encouraged a small group of enthusiastic persons to hold the second as a live conference in 1987 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston, Jamaica. Professor Magdi Yacoub of the United Kingdom was among the world-renowned members of faculty invited to make a presentation.

At the third conference, held as a satellite meeting of the Commonwealth Caribbean Medical Research Council Conference on April 12, 1988 in Kingston, Jamaica, the Caribbean Cardiac Society was formally launched as the primary forum for Cardiologists and Cardiac Surgeons in the Caribbean region and throughout the world to share experiences and disseminate knowledge.

The Society’s objectives were outlined in the programme of the fourth (4th) Cardiology Conference held in 1989 in Barbados as follows: “in the true spirit of Caribbean co-operation and mindful of the importance and need to share and maximise resources in the region, the Caribbean Cardiac Society has as its stated objectives outlined in its Constitution, the advancement of the knowledge of diseases of the heart and circulation among medical and para-medical professions in the Caribbean.”

Another milestone was achieved in 2001, when the Society awarded its first Annual Research Grant Award at the 17th Annual Caribbean Cardiology Conference held in Barbados to Dr. Paul Ramphal, UWI Lecturer and Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Historical facts at a glance

• First Cardiology Conference – 1986
• Caribbean Cardiac Society established – April 12, 1988
• First President – Dr. Donald Christian, (Jamaica)
• First paid member – Dr. Edwin Besterman (Jamaica)
• Starting Membership – 13
• First conference outside the Caribbean – Miami USA 1995
• First President for two terms - Professor Howard Spencer (1996 - 1998/1998 – 2000)
• First Honorary Members - Professor Magdi Yacoub and Professor Garcia Palmieri
• First Caribbean Honouree – Dr. Michael Wooming, developer of the first Cardiac Surgery Programme in the Caribbean
• Patterns set at fourth conference in 1989 to hold a large conference every other year, which would be alternated with a small conference and Biennial Meeting of the Society.
• CCS website established in 1998
• Decision made at the 13th conference in 1997 to hold a large conference every year
• Six (6) persons honoured in 1999 at the Conference held in Jamaica
• Newsletter ‘Caribbean Cardiac Society Bulletin’ first published in 1990 and re-launched in 1998
• CCS became a member of the Inter American Heart Foundation in 1998
• First Allied Professionals Conference Day held at the 18th Conference in 2003
• First Business Development Programme for Physicians held at the 21st Conference in 2006