John M Fitzpatrick “The Best Known Urologist in the World”
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OBITUARIES John M Fitzpatrick “The best known urologist in the world” John M Fitzpatrick (b 1948; q University College but with inadequate training opportunities in Dublin School of Medicine 1971; FRCSI, FEBU, Ireland, Fitzpatrick moved to London in 1977 FC Urol (SA), FRCSGlas, FRCS), died from a to work in the St Peter’s Hospitals and the Insti- subarachnoid haemorrhage on 14 May 2014. tute of Urology under John Wickham and John Blandy, whom Kirby describes as “two of the The urologist John Fitzpatrick was a big friendly greats of British urology.” Irishman with a magnetic personality, who Fitzpatrick also spent four months in Ger- loved to roar with laughter. He had travelled the many at the University of Mainz under Rudi world for several decades, lecturing on urology Hohnfellner, developing an interest in research at meetings, conferences, and seminars—and and expanding his network of professional winning friends and admirers of myriad nation- connections and friendships into continental alities. Europe. That network later would expand into On the morning of his death, Fitzpatrick, at 65 North America through the Urological Research years of age, was still robust, enjoyed trekking Society and the American Association of Geni- and cycling. An emeritus professor of surgery tourinary Surgeons, which awarded him the at University College Dublin (UCD) and head Spence Medal in 2010. of research at the Irish Cancer Society, he was In 1981 Fitzpatrick returned to his beloved looking forward to his next journey, this time to Dublin as consultant urologist and senior lec- the annual meeting of the American Urological turer in urology in the Meath and St James’s Association in Orlando, Florida. hospitals and Trinity College Dublin. In 1986, John Fitzpatrick visited almost every But while training in his home gym, he was appointed consultant urologist and Fitzpatrick, who was regarded as one of the country in the world and lectured and chairman of the department of surgery at the world’s leading urology academic clinician taught everywhere he went Mater Misericordiae Hospital and professor of scientists, fell ill and was rushed by ambulance surgery at UCD. He retired at UCD to emeritus to hospital.1 John Michael Fitzpatrick was born on 15 status in 2012, but until his death he remained Speaking to The BMJ, Roger Kirby, direc- July 1948 in Dublin. His father was a solici- active in urology and as research director of the tor of the Prostate Centre in London, says, “It tor, and his mother a trained historian. One Irish Cancer Society. is no exaggeration to say that Professor John of three sons, he was raised in the suburb of Wickham told The BMJ that over the years Fitzpatrick was the best known urologist in the Ballsbridge and educated at Gonzaga College he was “absolutely delighted” to see the suc- world.” Kirby adds: “He visited almost every where he developed a deep interest in history cesses of Fitzpatrick, but not surprised. “Of all country in the world and lectured and taught and literature, and learnt the art of debate and the young people I have worked with,” he says, everywhere he went.” public speaking.2 After finishing at Gonzaga “I would put John in the top four.” Indeed, in Kirby says Fitzpatrick’s most important sci- at age 16, he was offered a scholarship to read a 2009 interview Fitzpatrick was one of four entific contributions include work on “the clini- classics at Oxford University, but he opted to “clever young fellows” Wickham referred to by cal effects of ureteric obstruction, the medical study medicine at UCD instead. name.3 treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), As a teenager he already had the wanderlust Wickham says that, like countless others and new diagnostic and treatment strategies for that would follow him his whole life. Before over the years, he was not immune to Fitzpat- advanced prostate cancer.” His other interests starting his medical studies, he and a teenage rick’s outgoing personality: “He would sweep included renal ischaemia, prostatic carcinoma, friend travelled through Syria, Jordan, and you up and gallop away.” This happened once minimally invasive surgery, reconstructive Egypt. When he was 19 he travelled behind in the late 1980s, when Wickham travelled to urology, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. the so called Iron Curtain into Soviet controlled UCD at the invitation of Fitzpatrick to lecture. Throughout his career he helped advance sur- Czechoslovakia. After dinner that evening with wine flowing gical techniques and urology training around Kirby notes that later in life Fitzpatrick freely, Wickham says: “John suggested that he the world. At UCD he helped develop a major “accompanied us on cycle challenges in Sicily, would like to show me the inside of a typical prostate cancer research programme. Malawi, and Madagascar; climbed Kilimanjaro Irish Pub. I recall sitting at the bar and then Fitzpatrick authored more than 280 peer and Kinabalu; and trekked in Nepal to the bor- waking in my hotel room the following morn- reviewed journal articles and more than 100 der of Tibet, to help us raise millions of pounds ing. There was a blank between of which I have book chapters. He edited 18 textbooks and was to fund the Urology Foundation and Prostate no memory.” on the editorial board of 25 academic journals. Cancer UK.” Fitzpatrick leaves his wife, Carol, emeritus He served 10 years as editor in chief of the British After graduating from UCD School of Medi- UCD professor of child psychiatry; two sons; Journal of Urology International, known as the cine in 1971, Fitzpatrick completed training and a daughter. BJUI, which he championed and nurtured. He at St Vincent’s University Hospital. He became Ned Stafford, Hamburg served as president of the British Association of a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in [email protected] Urological Surgeons and of the Irish Society of Ireland in 1975 and received his masters in References are in the version on bmj.com. Urology. surgery in 1976 at UCD. Interested in urology, Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g4742 26 20 September 2014 | the bmj OBITUARIES from which he retired in 1998. In the by many other staff members to John Davies same year he was honoured with an whom this was very new. She was Missionary doctor, general OBE for his services to Nepal. During diagnosed with mixed Alzheimer’s practitioner, and medical adviser his retirement in Crowborough he disease in 2006 and was cared for (b 1940; q King’s College London continued to support medical work at home throughout her illness by 1965; MFPH), died from liver failure in Nepal. He leaves Margaret, four her husband. A postmortem showed on 29 May 2014. children, and seven grandchildren. that she had had frontotemporal John Davies was a missionary doctor John D Rhodes dementia. She leaves Bob; two in Uganda during the Amin years. Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g5195 became a clinical medical officer children; and two granddaughters. He was medical superintendent at with the Sheffield Schools Health R B Jones Kisiizi Hospital in the southwest of David Charles Herbert Service and subsequently senior Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g5191 the country from 1967 to 1977, clinical medical officer in community largely doing a one in one rota that medicine for Sheffield Health Michael Wickham is unthinkable today. Subsequently, Authority. She had responsibility as medical superintendent of Mengo for the childhood vaccination Hospital in Kampala, he remained programme and promoted preventive during the street fighting despite being health measures. Her Christian faith advised to leave. His tenacity saw a underpinned her life and work, and major building project completed, the she had great commitment to church foundation of Mengo’s modernisation. life in Sheffield. She was unmarried In Britain, John worked as a GP in Plastic surgeon (b 1938; q Barts and maintained great interest in Cheshire until 1990 before spending 1961; FRCS, FRCS Ed), d 24 January the extended family. She was active the remaining 17 years of his career in 2014. until her final months and bore her Former general practitioner in Newbury as medical adviser for health While at Barts, David Charles Herbert illness with courage, acceptance, and Cradley, West Midlands (b 1917; authorities. He retired to Abergavenny took lodgings with Sir John Betjeman, dignity. q Birmingham 1940), d 8 July 2014. and gained a first class degree in although at the time David was Caroline Hickson After qualifying as a doctor, Michael history from the Open University. John unaware of his landlord’s literary Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g5190 Wickham served as surgeon lieutenant remained an avid reader, excellent importance. After graduating he on HMS Atherstone and subsequently cook, and generous host to guests decided on surgery and in 1972 Sylvia Helga Houghton surgeon lieutenant commander in from around the world. was appointed senior registrar in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. John Holden plastic surgery at Liverpool. Research He worked in general practice in Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g5217 into the facial blood supply led Cradley and Cradley Heath from 1947 him to innovative developments of to 1985. Michael was committed to William Michael Gould island flaps and an Arris and Gale furthering first aid training through lectureship at the RCS. Having failed the St John Ambulance Brigade, and to get support for his applications subsequently, after retiring to the for conventional consultant posts, Scottish Borders, the Red Cross. As and having rejected offers of posts a result of many years of service to in the US and Switzerland, he made Former senior clinical medical St John Ambulance, he was made an the highly unusual (then) choice of officer southeast London, clinical area commissioner and later county working entirely in the private sector.