World leader in transplants dies
Oct 29 2003 By The Journal
A pioneering surgeon who saved thousands of lives and carried out the region's first kidney transplant has died.
Ross Taylor CBE, 70, died peacefully at his home in Stocksfield, Northumberland, on Friday after a short battle against cancer.
The father-of-four performed the North-East's first kidney transplant in 1967, transplanting the kidney of William Hutchfield, from County Durham, in his son David at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Since then he has been a pioneer of all organ transplantation and in 1986 was awarded one of the profession's highest accolades as president of the British Transplantation Society.
Last night, friends, colleagues and patients paid tribute to the renowned surgeon whom they described as one of the most dedicated and caring people they had ever met.
Professor Tom Lennard, head of the school of surgery at the University of Newcastle, was trained by him as a medical student and later worked as a consultant alongside him.
"Ross had an enormous influence not just in the North-East but across the UK," he said.
"Right now the heads of the transplant units in Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Leicester and, of course, Newcastle, were all trained by Ross Taylor. They're known as "Ross's Boys" and really it's his legacy living on.
"His greatest saying was that if you treat all patients as you would want your family treated you won't go far wrong and I think that's why he was so adored by all of his patients and staff. He was a true gentleman, kind and caring and with the deepest respect both for the patient and the organs he was transplanting."
John Cushnaghan, former managing director of Nissan Manufacturing UK based in Sunderland, was also a close friend of Mr Taylor.
A kidney transplant patient himself, he had forged close links between Nissan and the Transplant Games of which Ross Taylor was local chairman.
"Ross was the real force behind the Great North Transplant Games in 2000 and a man I greatly admired," he said.
Supervising more than 2,000 kidney transplants before retiring from the RVI in 1995, Mr Taylor was responsible in 1973 for setting up the region's first transplant unit, which has gained a world-wide reputation.
A pioneer in his field, in January 1990 he performed a record four transplants in 24 hours.
After retiring he helped raise more than £250,000 for the Northern Counties Kidney Re-search Fund and newer Transplant Patients Trust, through the Great North Run.
Ray Downey, 46, of Sunderland, who has had four transplants, said: "He was just a brilliant man who had all the patients' interests at heart."
He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and three daughters and a son. and Prof Lennard said: "Ross and Margaret were always looked on as a bit of a role model for the rest of us."
The funeral service is at St George's Church, Jesmond, on Thursday at 5pm, family flowers only.
Page 2: A debt of gratitude
