Children's heart surgeon Asif Hasan, a pioneer at the Freeman Hospital, has received a Lifetime Achievement award at the Daily Mirror 2026 Pride of Britain Awards, ending a two-decade wait for recognition that his family and many others felt was long overdue.
Andy Fletcher, Senior Regional Subeditor at The Chronicle, wrote about his personal connection to Mr Hasan, who has operated on both of his twin sons, Charlie and George, born with cardiac conditions.
A Surgeon's Calm in a Storm
Fletcher first met Mr Hasan in April 2005, when Charlie, born almost eight weeks premature and weighing about 5lb, was about to undergo heart surgery. Despite the risk, Mr Hasan's calm demeanor reassured the family.
“Your son will live to be a happy old man,” Mr Hasan told them, a statement that gave Fletcher instant faith in him. Mr Hasan went on to operate on Charlie four more times.
Expert in Both Plumbing and Electrics
In 2010, Charlie's twin brother George, then aged five, needed a defibrillator implanted due to dangerously fast heart rhythms. The procedure was complicated because of his age and size, as such devices are more common in adults.
Mr Hasan, who has been at the forefront of the Freeman's groundbreaking successes, successfully placed the defib. Charlie and George are now 21, thanks in no small part to Mr Hasan.
A Tribute to the Teams
Mr Hasan pays tribute to the 'incredible teams' he works with, and Fletcher acknowledges the many wonderful people involved, all of whom deserve an award in his eyes. He notes that only the very best can operate on children's hearts, where everything is so minute and fragile, wrapped inside something as small as a walnut.
