Samo Zver, the head of the haematology department of the UKC Ljubljana medical centre, a doctor "who treats with optimism", has been voted the Person of the Year 2014 of Slovenia's leading newspaper Delo.

Zver is a "person who would never put himself first, instead he gives himself to others", Delo editor-in-chief Bojan Budja said at the award ceremony in Ljubljana on 9 January.

"I don't work for awards or recognition, but the ones that come from people mean a lot to me. Especially if they need my help. It's a great feeling when someone thanks you for curing their close one. These are things that are above medicine, above words, above human beings," Zver said, thanking everyone who voted for him.

Man of action

His department introduced a palliative care team last year, and in March this year, after years of efforts spearheaded by Zver, they will also introduce CAR-T cell therapy, the equipment for which has been bought with donations.

Marking 35 years since the first haematopoietic stem cell transplant in December, the department has performed more than 2,600 procedures since or around 140 a year.

"When you come up with an idea, you have to take action right away. But you must also know to ask for help if you get stuck, because someone will always come and help," he says. He believes "good life is made of small things".

The 58-year-old doctor is battling Parkinson's disease himself, but he says he is not a patient. He recently underwent a demanding surgery, deep brain simulation, to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Thanking the neurosurgery and neurology team, he says their excellence proves Slovenian medicine is extremely good.

Knowing the state of Slovenia's healthcare first-hand, he does not mince his words when he speaks out about the things that are wrong. He says public healthcare must be preserved, keeping in mind how much effort has been invested in it in the past.

Ten plus one nominees

The Person of the Year is selected by readers among the ten nominees named by the Delo editorial board.

Also nominated were Špela Miroševič, the head of a foundation developing a treatment for the CTNNB1 syndrome, NLB bank CEO Blaž Brodnjak, film director and screenwriter Sonja Prosenc, Tilen Genov, the head of the marine mammal research association Morigenos, and Maja Plaz, the head of the helpline SOS Telefon.

Budja said the editorial board also nominated Beti Hohler, a judge on the International Criminal Court, but she renounced the nomination. Hohler was a member of the pre-trial chamber that issued the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas's military commander Mohammed Deif in November.

Delo director Nataša Luša said the media company "spotlights personalities distinguished by courage, innovation, willpower, strength, vision, credibility, knowledge and integrity".

The publisher has been presenting the Person of the Year award since 1990. Last year the honour went to Romana Lesjak, the mayor of Črna na Koroškem, one of the municipalities worst hit by the August 2023 floods.