Terence English facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Terence English
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English in August 2017
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Terence Alexander Hawthorne English
October 1932 (age 92) |
| Nationality | British |
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| Medical career | |
| Profession | Cardiothoracic surgeon |
| Field | Cardiothoracic surgery |
| Institutions | Papworth Hospital, Cambridge |
| Research | Cardiac transplantation |
| Awards |
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Sir Terence Alexander Hawthorne English (born October 1932) is a British retired heart surgeon. He was born in South Africa. He worked at Papworth Hospital and Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge from 1973 to 1995.
Sir Terence first studied mining engineering. He then changed to medicine. He led the team that performed Britain's first successful heart transplant in August 1979. This happened at Papworth Hospital. His work made Papworth one of Europe's top heart and lung transplant centers.
He also served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1989 to 1992. He was Master of St Catharine's College from 1993 to 2000. He was knighted in 1991 for his important work.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Terence English was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. His parents were Mavis and Arthur English. He has an older sister named Elizabeth. His father died when Terence was two years old.
School Days
English went to Parktown Preparatory School in Johannesburg. At age ten, he became a boarder at Cordwalles School in Pietermaritzburg. He finished his schooling at Hilton College in 1946.
From Mining to Medicine
After school, at seventeen, English worked as a diamond driller. This was in what is now Zimbabwe. He then studied mining engineering at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. He finished his degree in 1954.
His engineering skills helped him get summer jobs. He worked in mining exploration in Northern Quebec and the Yukon.
Medical School Journey
During his engineering studies, he received an unexpected inheritance. This money allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. English applied to Guy's Medical School in London. He was accepted and later became an honorary fellow of Guy's Hospital.
In 1961, English was the captain of Guy's 1st XV rugby team. They won the Inter-Hospitals Cup that year.
Surgical Career
After medical school, English began his surgical training. He worked with famous surgeons like Donald Ross. He also visited Christiaan Barnard in South Africa. Barnard performed the world's first human heart transplant.
English then specialized in heart and lung surgery. He completed his training in London. He also spent a year researching in Alabama, USA.
Heart Surgery at Papworth
English became a consultant heart surgeon at Papworth and Addenbrooke's Hospitals in 1972. He worked there until 1995.
In 1973, heart transplants were stopped in the UK. This was because most operations had poor results. Only a few places, like Stanford University in California, were having success.
English visited a friend at Stanford University. His friend had found a way to detect rejection early. This discovery, along with better medicines, improved transplant results. English decided the UK needed its own heart transplant program.
He started his own research. He looked for ways to keep donor hearts healthy longer. By 1977, he was ready to start a clinical program.
First UK Heart Transplant
English faced challenges getting funding for transplants. But he got permission to do two operations at Papworth. The first one in January 1979 was not successful. However, the second one in August 1979 was a success. The patient, Keith Castle, lived for over five years.
English continued to develop the heart transplant program. He became the Director of the British Heart Foundation Transplant Research Unit at Papworth.
Key Factors for Transplant Success
- Brainstem Death: New rules in 1976 allowed doctors to take organs from brain-dead donors.
- Organ Preservation: Better ways to preserve donor hearts meant they could be transported further.
- New Medicines: After 1983, a new drug called cyclosporin greatly improved results. It helped control the body's rejection of the new heart.
- Funding and Support: English found support from individuals and charities. Later, the government provided steady funding.
Artificial Heart
In November 1986, English performed the UK's first total artificial heart transplant. A Jarvic 7 heart was used. It helped the patient survive until a human donor heart could be found. The patient lived for nearly two years after getting the human heart.
UK Cardiac Surgical Register
English helped create the UK cardiac surgical register in 1978. This register tracks how well heart operations are doing across the UK and Ireland. It shows the number of patients who survive 30 days after surgery.
Other Important Roles
General Medical Council Member (1983-1989)
English represented the Royal College of Surgeons. He helped decide on important medical education matters.
President of International Society for Heart Transplantation (1984–1985)
English was a founding member of this society. He later received a Lifetime Achievement Award from them in 2014.
President of Royal College of Surgeons (1989–1992)
English was elected president of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1989.
Some of his achievements as President included:
- Building international connections for the College.
- Helping to improve working hours for junior doctors. This was known as the 'English Clause'.
- Working to reduce too much paperwork in the National Health Service (NHS).
President of the British Medical Association (1995–1996)
English supported nurses taking on more important roles in healthcare.
Master of St Catharine's College Cambridge (1993–2000)
English spent seven years as Master of St Catharine's College. He admired the students' hard work and diverse backgrounds. He also felt there was too much focus on performance reviews for teachers.
Awards and Honours
Sir Terence English has received many awards for his work:
- 1986 – Clement Price Thomas Award for great contributions to surgery.
- 2009 – Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in heart and lung surgery.
- 2014 – Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
- 2014 – Ray C Fish Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Disease.
He also has ten honorary fellowships from medical colleges and honorary doctorates from universities around the world.
Personal Life
English married Ann Dicey in South Africa in 1963. They had four children and lived in Cambridge. They divorced in 2001. Ann passed away in 2009. He married Judith Milne (now Judith English) in 2002. She became Principal of St Hilda's College, Oxford. They live in Oxford.
Retirement Activities
Since retiring, English has remained active:
- He has helped train doctors in places like Pakistan and Gaza.
- He supports making physician-assisted dying legal as a Patron for 'Dignity in Dying'.
- He has enjoyed nine long-distance adventure drives across different continents.
Books and Publications
Sir Terence English has written and contributed to several books and articles:
- "Follow Your Star" From Mining to Heart Transplants – A Surgeon's Story (2011).
- Principles of Cardiac Diagnosis and Treatment – A Surgeon's Guide (Second Edition, 1992).
- He has also written 23 chapters for other books.
- He has published 118 articles in medical journals.
