But Chavez and his mentor, James D. Hardy, M.D., had proven heart transplantation in humans could be done. Their effort was overshadowed in history by the more noteworthy first human-to-human heart transplant by Christiaan Barnard, M.D. in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1967. The American Medical Association, and its convention in New York City, presented Chavez with a Scientific Award silver medal for his exhibit on transplantation in 1965. He also received an Honor Achievement Award from the Angiology Research foundation in 1968.