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SiG MT 99 Known as the father of modern vaccines, Dr. Hilleman not only saved millions of lives, but he also saved millions of people from developing deafness, blindness and other permanent disabilities associated with the diseases he helped prevent. Dr. Hilleman received a multitude of awards throughout his impressive career, to include being presented with the nation's highest scientific honor, the National Medal of Science, by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. In 1996, he was presented with the Children's Vaccine Initiative of the World Health Organization's lifetime achievement award, according to Merck. "As one of the true giants of science in the 20th century, Dr. Hilleman embodied the spirit of invention, taking on difficult challenges with passion, persistence, and ingenuity," the company said in a 2019 tribute article. Dr. Hilleman was director of the Merck Institute for erapeutic Research when he retired from the pharmaceutical giant in 1984, having devoted more than 25 years to the company. But "retirement" didn't mean kicking back and relaxing for this old Montana boy. He continued developing vaccines in academic seings for the rest of his life, according to Merck. None of the vaccines he created ever bore his name. "His drive wasn't about credit and it wasn't about money," Kirsten said. "It was about conquering another virus that harms children. I don't think that element of competitiveness or the need to 'win' was ever there for him. It was a much more collaborative time." Dr. Hilleman succumbed to cancer on April 11, 2005 at the age of 85. In 2015, MSU developed a scholarship program in honor of "the most prolific vaccinologist in history," MSU President Waded Cruzado said. e Hilleman Scholars Program was established to inspire prospective students throughout the Treasure State who might not have believed college was an option for them. "You really have to look no further than Dr. Hilleman and his story for that inspiration," explained Dr. Carina Beck, who oversees the Hilleman Scholars program. "It is such a remarkable story. It is important that Montanans understand who Dr. Hilleman is and the contribution he made to the entire world." Cruzado noted Dr. Hilleman exemplified what it means to be a Montanan. "Maurice Hilleman personifies the Montana ethos," she said. "Born from humble beginnings, developed a great work ethic on a chicken farm… His accomplishments were never about him. Montanans aren't afraid of anything, so whatever the problem is, they are going to tackle it." Approximately 50 students are accepted into the program every year based primarily on their potential, not on merit grade point averages. "We're looking for future leaders in Montana," Dr. Beck said. "rough the Hilleman Scholars program, students are cultivating purpose and leadership at the same time." Despite his many accolades and world-altering discoveries, Dr. Hilleman was still simply a man – a husband, a father, a brother, a grandfather. Kirsten said her family spoke to him about taking one last trip back to Montana shortly before he passed away. "He said he didn't want to go back," she recalled. "He said, 'I'm afraid if I went back, I wouldn't want to leave.'" Kirsten traveled to Miles City for the first time last year, tracing her father's humble beginnings using the stories he'd told her over the years. "He lived at the delta of the Yellowstone River and the Tongue River," she said. She found the old farmhouse where he was raised, the yard where he tended to the chickens, and the nearby home where his mother and sister died on his birthday. "It was completely abandoned and dilapidated," Kirsten said of the once-bustling farmyard. She was even able to walk a part of the route he used to take to school, over the old railroad bridge. "I remember he used to really emphasize the importance of education," she said. "He always said that was the one thing that nobody could ever take away from you." Lorraine said her husband simply wanted to make a difference in the world. "More than anything, he wanted to justify his life by contributing something of value," she said. "And he certainly did that." Holly Matkin is a native Montanan who lives with her husband at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains. She covers a wide variety of topics as a freelance writer for multiple local and national publications, and especially enjoys writing travel, history, and human interest pieces. S MT By the end of Dr. Maurice Hilleman's career, he would develop more than 40 vaccines that prevented disease and death throughout the world. Merck Archives, 2021

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