PALLIATIVE care pioneer Dr Ronald Fisher, founder of the Macmillan unit at Christchurch Hospital more than 30 years ago, has been awarded the cancer charity's gold medal.
Dr Fisher, now 89, and living in Poole, introduced hospice medicine into the NHS with the opening of the Macmillan unit in 1975 after spearheading a local fundraising campaign.
While working locally as a consultant anaesthetist Dr Fisher became convinced that something better could be done for terminal cancer patients.
He persuaded the local health authority to bear the costs of operating such a facility if public support could build and equip it.
Most of the funds were raised locally, with one third donated by the National Society for Cancer Relief - now Macmillan Cancer Relief - and when the unit opened, it was the first NHS palliative care service in the country.
As consultant physician at Christchurch and honorary consultant and later vice-president of Cancer Relief, Dr Fisher also pioneered the first NHS Home Care Service for cancer patients - the Macmillan Nursing Service - and to introduce the first NHS day care service for cancer patients.
His influence in palliative care spread overseas through chairing a select committee of experts on the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and after retiring in 1982 he helped introduce palliative care in Ohio, Gibraltar, Portugal and Belgium.
Dr Fisher is also the author of three palliative care books, the most recent published in 2002 which have become standard training manuals for Macmillan nurses.
His Macmillan gold medal, given in recognition of outstanding service to cancer relief worldwide and presented by Macmillan Cancer Relief county chairman Lady Jilly Palmer, follows his recent award of the Arctic Star for his Royal Navy services during World War II.
Dr Fisher served as a surgeon for two years on the rescue ship Zamalek sailing at the rear of the supply convoys between Glasgow and the Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel.
He recalled: "The voyages were extremely dangerous. Irrespective of enemy attack there was constant hazard of violent storms, ice, snow and spray which froze instantly on topside surfaces."
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