Professor Ray Donnelly, the pioneering Liverpool cancer surgeon who helped save more than 10,000 lives, celebrates his 90th birthday today (Sunday). The founder of Liverpool charity Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation performed the first keyhole operation to remove a lung cancer in 1991.
The NHS lung health check programme, for which the charity campaigned and then helped to develop, has now detected more than 10,000 lung cancers in England, with thousands of lives potentially saved through earlier diagnosis. Prof Donnelly, born on August 31, 1936, actually turns 90 on Monday. He dedicated his career to finding better ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating lung cancer.
Keyhole surgery pioneer
His work has spanned surgical innovation, medical research and charity fundraising. One of his most significant achievements came in 1991 when he conducted the first keyhole operation to remove a lung cancer. The technique helped pave the way for less invasive surgery now widely used around the world.
Concerned by the lack of attention given to lung cancer at the time, Prof Donnelly founded the Lung Cancer Fund in 1990 from his office at Broadgreen Hospital, now part of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. The charity changed its name to honour the entertainer Roy Castle, who joined the campaign in 1995, despite having just weeks left to live. Roy's 'Tour of Hope' aboard a specially chartered train sparked an astonishing public response which raised awareness and funds to support Prof Donnelly's vision of creating a lung cancer research centre.
Legacy of screening success
That vision became reality in 1998 with the opening of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Research Centre. Research carried out in Liverpool has since played a leading role in improving understanding of the disease and helped lay the foundations for today's national lung cancer screening programme. The Foundation also spent years campaigning for a nationwide screening scheme, working with researchers, clinicians and policymakers to secure its introduction.
Latest NHS figures show more than 10,678 lung cancers have now been detected through the programme, with more than three-quarters diagnosed at Stage 1 or Stage 2, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Paula Chadwick, chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: "As we celebrate Ray's 90th birthday, we honour an extraordinary surgeon, visionary and champion for everyone affected by lung cancer.
"Decades before lung cancer screening became a reality, Ray understood that earlier diagnosis would be the key to improving survival. His pioneering work in keyhole surgery, his determination to establish a dedicated research centre in Liverpool and his leadership in founding this charity have changed countless lives. The success of today's NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme is part of the legacy of his vision and persistence. Above all, Ray is an absolute gentleman, and, for me personally, it's always been an honour to work with him in our efforts to improve outcomes in lung cancer."
Merseyside home
Although born and raised in Glasgow, Prof Donnelly has called Merseyside home since the 1970s. He lives in Formby with his wife Elizabeth. More than 35 years after founding the charity, his influence persists in advances in lung cancer research, earlier diagnosis and improved treatment for patients across the UK. While his work has helped change the prospects for people diagnosed with lung cancer across the globe, that story began in Liverpool.
