Consultant Clinical Oncologist and CCLG Trustee talks to us about his career and interests.
Q: Tell us a little about your career...
A: I’m a clinical oncologist (doctor who gives radiotherapy and chemotherapy). I did my general medical training in the Midlands and then my formal specialist oncology training was mainly in Leeds. Then I became a consultant back in the East Midlands before moving to Manchester (at The Christie) just over three years ago to join the proton therapy service.
Q: Had you always wanted to work in paediatric oncology?
A: I became interested in paediatric oncology during my training years having been lucky to work for four colleagues who inspired me and helped fuel my interest. They all know who they are and I am forever grateful to them for sparking my interest and guiding my development.
Q: What is your proudest career achievement?
A: Seeing my first patient successfully treated with proton therapy in Manchester rather than having to send them abroad. We review all of our patients at least once a year and it is a genuine pleasure to see so many of them doing so well after treatment.
Q: What does your job mean to you?
A: It’s a genuine privilege to care for children and their families at a challenging time for them. I enjoy working with a wide variety of patients, all of whom have different challenges but are all genuinely inspiring in their own way. I’m also delighted to work with a team of great colleagues whom we all learn from and where we are able to support each other.
Q: What does the future look like for radiotherapy?
A: Radiotherapy remains an essential part of treatment for many childhood cancers. The treatment is becoming more sophisticated which we hope will mean better outcomes both in terms of improved cure rates but also reduced long-term side effects. There’s more that we have to learn and increasingly this will need national and international collaboration so that we all learn together.
Q: What future developments are you excited about?
A: In the next few years, we will start to evaluate outcome data from our own proton therapy programme. We’re also just starting to open clinical trials in the UK which include important radiotherapy questions which will help improve our evidence base. There will then be an important period of learning and reflection so that we can improve our approaches to treatment of childhood cancer in the UK.
Q: What are your interests?
A: I also treat adult sarcomas and I’m Associate Medical Director at The Christie. I’ve been a Trustee of CCLG for nearly six years now. In my spare time I am a reasonable amateur oboist and play for several orchestras in the North West and I also try to find time to get out on my bike beyond the usual commute in the rain every day.
Q: What message do you have for children and their families affected by childhood cancer?
A: Every child is unique and treated as an individual. Although this will undoubtedly be a daunting and challenging time, the collaboration between and across different paediatric oncology teams is designed to help and support you all to offer the best outcome from treatment as possible.
