Professor John Fitzpatrick 1948-2014
Professor John Fitzpatrick 1948-2014
A Life in the Fast Lane
Wednesday morning, the 14th May 2014, John M Fitzpatrick passed away aged 65. He left this life the way he lived it, in the fast lane. Taken ill at home in his own gym, where he was honing his fitness with his personal trainer, he was rushed by ambulance to hospital, where he died within hours from a massive subarachnoid haemorrhage. This blog in the BJUI, the journal he edited, championed and loved so very much, is a celebration of his life, and an opportunity for those who knew him to post their own special memory of him, and to contribute a tribute to one of the truly great international characters of urology.
John’s career was an illustrious one. He trained in Dublin, and then in London, where for a time he lived in a house in fashionable Chelsea, just off the King’s Road. He worked with the “greats” of British urology: John Wickham, Richard Turner-Warwick and John Blandy and was always positive and enthusiastic about his time at the famous St Peter’s Hospitals and the Institute of Urology.
Returning to his beloved Dublin, in 1986, aged 38, he successfully applied for the post of Professor of Surgery and proceeded to build up an outstanding department of urology and latterly, with the assistance of the wonderful Bill Watson, created a quite exceptional research unit. He was most proud of his international standing as possibly the world’s best-known urologist (apologies to Dr Patrick Walsh!). He certainly was the most travelled, clocking up untold millions of Air Miles in his favourite seat 2A in the British Airways First Class cabin, and a welcome guest wherever he arrived.
Things, as Richard Turner-Warwick was fond of saying, don’t just happen; they have to be made to happen. Among other things, John did sterling work in helping Bill Hendry and me to create The Urology Foundation (TUF) in 1994, by negotiating £250,000 grants from BAUS and the BJUI. He did a magnificent job as Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Trustee and Patron to help us create a thriving charity. TUF continues to do amazing work to support training and research in urology in the UK and Ireland. He adored being President of BAUS, St Peter’s medal winner and visiting professor to almost 100 academic institutions in North America.
I have too many positive memories of John to regale you with here. Climbing Kilimanjaro (he never tired of reminding me that he reached the summit well before me), trekking in Nepal, cycling in Sicily, Malawi and Madagascar. John was always “up for it”. Another boast of his was that he never misjudged people; but everywhere he went he made friends, took interest in everyone he met and communicated in his own unique, eloquent and quintessentially Irish style.
Sadly, none of us had the opportunity to say goodbye to John. He slipped away from this life, just as he did from so many international meetings, a little early, anxious to move on to the next challenge. My own particular farewell was a few weeks ago at a TUF dinner at the famous and historic Vintner’s Hall in London, where John was in his element talking to Jane MacQuitty, wine correspondent of the Times, about the merits and demerits of a variety of fine wines. With a strange prescience, he told me as he left for the airport the next day that he had enjoyed every moment of his life as a surgeon, scientist and communicator, and that always he really loved the very special world of urology.
Like me, John loved Shakespeare, so I will finish this blog with an apposite quote from the Bard:
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “this was a man!”
When comes such another?
Farewell loyal friend Fitzy, we loved you and we will miss you badly.
Roger Kirby, The Prostate Centre, London
REGISTER FOR THE INAUGURAL JOHN FITZPATRICK IRISH PROSTATE CANCER CONFERENCE
An interview with John M. Fitzpatrick
BJUI December 2012; Volume 110, Issue 11
Click here to see a short video on the challenges the TUF cyclists in India faced https://trendsinmenshealth.com/video/tuf-cycle-india-2016/
So many fond memories of one of my heroes.
He was on my Professorial interview panel and asked me very tricky questions. Some of them were impossible to answer at the time but now bring a smile to my face.
He literally helped me down Mount Etna on an ultra difficult trip to Sicily. Afterwards he showed me a rather embarrassing photograph of me asleep on the slopes of this mountain. I hadn’t even realised that I had dozed off.
Most of all I remember having breakfast at BAUS for a smooth handover of the editorship. John regarded the BJUI as the pinnacle of his academic career. He described his main contribution to the journal in a single word – COLOUR. His amazingly abstract covers, quality and readability made the BJUI unique. Little did I realise that this was perhaps a colourful reflection of his own life, enjoying every day to the full.
We met briefly at the EAU in Stockholm. I had no idea that I would never see the great man again.
Much affectionately,
Prokar
A picture after surviving the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the USANZ Meeting 2011.
John kept us all in a good mood!
One of our European and global Key Opinion Leaders left us on Wednesday, and is indeed very much missed. Great personality, his special Irish humour and friendship. The urological community will be much less fun without John.
Per-Anders
Although I only spoke with Professor Fitzpatrick a couple of times he was certainly someone who left an impression. He was a strong character and his deep thinking, energy and enthusiasm meant he challenged people, whilst having a very positive influence in multiple aspects of work and life. His many contributions to the world of urology will be missed.
The stars are shining brighter now that one of our favorite sons is aloft with them. May our tears of sadness and disbelief soon dilute the pain of this loss and wash us toward a life filled with the joys that punctuated his. Rest in peace, friend and mentor, John Fitzpatrick of Dublin, of the world.
As the organiser of the TUF cycling challenges I had the pleasure of cycling with John in Sicily, Malawi and Madagascar. I am not a medical person, but couldn’t fail to be impressed by John’s knowledge of Urology and his passion for his work – both patients and research I know were very valued by him. I really was very in awe of John the day I first met him at Heathrow Airport. As we cycled together on our first trip in Sicily – I got to know John the cyclist – John the Joker – John the wine drinker – but most importantly John the compassionate caring Doctor. He did sometimes have a sense of humour failure, especially when it came to cycling off-road which he didn’t really take to! A few swear words did come flying in my direction a few times as the organiser – however they were soon forgotten in the bar at the end of the day. It always amazed me that John managed to find the time to join the TUF bike rides – he really was passionate about them and I know he was upset to miss our last couple of rides – the last time I spoke to him he said that he really wanted to be on our next ride. He will be greatly missed on the TUF rides – he will be a TUF act to follow! We will be dedicating our next TUF cycling challenge in India November 2015 to John – and I know we will be raising a few glasses of fine wine to him.
Rest in peace John – Ann Frampton, Action for Charity
John was a true giant in Urology. Larger than life, his eloquence, joie de vivre, Irish wit, and native intelligence shone through like a beacon. Everywhere he went, he attracted friends and noticed everything and everyone.
I was privileged to see John on many occasions, especially our time at the GU Surgeons, an organization that he enjoyed very much. John was the Hartwell Harrison Visiting Professor in 2005. The residents still talk about his visit, especially the night out with the visiting professor. They went through quite a bit of good wines that night!
Rest in peace, fair John. You left us way too soon. The world will not see another like you – you broke the mold.
Jerry Richie
Chief of Urology (Emeritus)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
In the three short years I came to know John, my abiding memories of him involve food, wine and much laughter! A bon viveur, raconteur and connoisseur, John always made every occasion special and fun. But the great man was always kind, considerate and thoughtful and knew how to take life seriously too. As Roger said, John was one of the driving forces behind the creation of The Urology Foundation, seeing the need for specialised support for urology research and the training and education of urologists, and we owe him a great debt for that. John was a great supporter of TUF, serving as a Trustee, Chairman of the Scientific and Education Committee and latterly as a Patron. I have no doubt that the urology community as a whole is better off because of John. We mourn him and miss him and remember him fondly in our hearts. RIP John.
Louise de Winter – Chief Executive, The Urology Foundation
This is such very, very sad news…we have all lost a great friend, a tremendous intellect, and one of the most joyful personalities in all of Urology. John brought the sun with him wherever he went…great humor, empowering thoughts, and memorable conversation. Truly, a bright light has gone dark…I know of none others like him…I fear likewise we will not know his equal in the uncertain span remaining to us on this earth.
Ralph V. Clayman
Dean – School of Medicine
Professor of Urology
Univ. of California – Irvine
John was not only a brilliant man, with an outstanding personality, he was also the perfect urologic ambassador. He united urologists from Europe with the rest of the world. Everybody everywhere respected and loved him. John, rest in peace!
Jorge
John defined joie de vivre. He was a friend, a mentor and a person of unbounded capabilities and emotions. The world is a little smaller in his absence
I had the fortune to befriend Fitzy on two of the TUF rides in Sicily and Madagascar and adored sparring with him. Fitzy was like marmite, but then the best people always are; he was a true character, an intellect and never dull! He lived life to the full and will be sorely missed. As Joni Mitchell sang, ‘you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone’ and this is a case in point. RIP John and hope we meet again on the other side.
What very sad news about John! So unexpected and such a huge loss to the urological community.
We first met as trainees in the early 80’s before John returned to Dublin. Our paths crossed only occasionally at BAUS and other meetings from then until 2003 when Roger told me that he was joining us on the Prostate UK Kilimanjaro climb. Whilst his well-deserved reputation as a wine connoisseur went before him we knew that we could rely on him to select a few choice vintages for our return to base. None of us, however, realised at that stage how amazingly fit he was! He always liked to “lead from the front” and no-one was surprised that he got to the summit first in the leading group, a few yards ahead of Roger Plail, Mike Bailey, my son Alastair and me. The steep ascent was made easier by his infectious Irish laughter, the conversation always flowing with his stimulating and entertaining views on a wide variety of subjects – for John was not only supremely knowledgeable in the field of urology, he could also talk with a deep knowledge of history, especially Irish and military history, but also of music, classics, literature and politics – he was a true polymath.
Each year after this John took time off from his busy working schedule to do a Prostate charity walk. He was a larger than life character who helped to make these trips huge fun, the last one to the Kingdom of Mustang in Northern Nepal in 2011. It is difficult to imagine doing one of these trips without him. He will be so much missed in so many ways by so many people around the globe.
John and I would see one another once or twice a year at the AUA, AAGUS or some more exotic place, like Japan or India. I remember a lunch in Indore when I mentioned that his mother must be very proud of him because he had more letters after his name than in it. He laughed and responded by saying that there was a joke at home that went something like, “What’s the difference between God and John Fitzpatrick?” The answer was, “You could always find God in Dublin.”
I, too, will miss him.
John Barry
As tour manager for the cycling events of TUF I feel privileged to have known John on most of the rides. He stands out in my memory as a fantastic personality with lots of Irish humour, somebody who you are not likely to forget. I will miss him terribly on the next rides, as all of us will do.
I met John first in the 70th, when he had visited Mainz Urology, the institution, where I was trained. In the years following our friendship intensified when we met regularly in numerous places around the world, often together with the late Bob Krane, Mike Droller, Frans Debruyne and Ralph de Vere White, as seen at the founding meeting of the Urological Research Society in Leiden 1980, at the AUA 2005 or sailing in the Karibics 2012 together with Mike Marberger and John de la Rosette – to name only a few occasions during the past 4 decades.
John was not only a remarkable and charismatic person, a great leader in Urology and a pure academician and teacher, but also a men with a lot of humour, full of joy and enthusiasm – and an exceptional good friend.
I still cannot believe, that he has left us, much too early to accomplish all what he still intended to do. The gap, he left behind will be difficult to close.
I give my condolences to Carol and the family and share the sadness with his friends in and outside Urology.
John, requiescat in Pace, we all will miss you,
Udo Jonas
John was always there, always leading some initiative or organisation. This is certainly the passing of a powerful force within Urology. He leaves a gap and his loss will be certainly noticed and he will be missed.
Although I had not seen John for many years, I have never forgotten him. He was the consummate professional, all rounder and so much fun to be with. As a former member (retired) of AstraZeneca’s Global Urology Team, he brought enlightenment to all my colleagues wherever he travelled to. John, rest easy. You sure deserve it.
I am grateful to him for awarding me one of the first BUF Scholarships with a visit to the Cleveland Clinic. He was a very warm and affable individual and a great presence at meetings. We should always treat each other well, just in case!
With condolences to his family at this difficult time.
Nitin Shrotri
The man was a true giant of urology. The modern equivalent of a Victorian polymath; he knew about everything and could lecture on it too!
Well known, well travelled, great fun and one of the truly gifted orators of urology and medicine in general. He worked hard, played hard and it is a honour to keep his fine work at the BJUI going with the current team. Never shy to impress one with his huge knowledge of all things urological and many outside.
I once asked him if he new much about wine and he quickly showed me just how much he knew with a small 20 minute lecture on Northern Italian varietals!
Such a shock to hear the news as I have always thought of him as one of the indestructible rocks of urology who would always be there.
Thoughts with his family and close friends.
Ben
I first met John (and Roger) at the EAU in Barcelona in 1998. It was the beginning of my introduction to urology and urologists and I emerged from the evening slightly traumatised but having been hugely entertained. I then had the privilege of meeting and working with John on numerous occasions over the following ten years at national and international meetings, symposia, educational programmes and charity fund raising events for TUF.
Amongst his many other talents, John was a gifted chair, debater, moderator, speaker and educator. I remember very well the outstanding presentation he gave to a group of young urologists from all over the world that he was hosting in Dublin on how NOT to present. After the initial bafflement that he may have inexplicably lost all his presentation skills he had the audience crying with laughter but learning so much at the same time.
John was also instrumental in my education in wine. After a spectacular fall out over a Spanish wine one evening in Stockholm (luckily quickly forgiven and forgotten), John introduced me to fine wines from many countries and, in particular, the USA.
Like Roger, I’m sure it was the way he would have wanted to go but it was far too soon and he will be missed by many.
RIP John – Alison Sheppard
The world of Urology has lost a great champion. Not only a much respected surgeon but, one of our profession’s great communicators. His teaching, his Presidency of BAUS and, most surely, his editorship of the BJUI have all contributed to the respect and admiration that British urology currently enjoys. Over the last thirty years, I have shared many, and varied, platforms with John and have always admired his presentation skills and scholarship. John is one of those rare people who has left a greater hole in many, many lives than his physical presence ever filled.
God bless and keep you, dear friend.
The tributes to John flowing in from all over the world to the BJUI are overwhelming and very, very moving. I can add very little to those tributes or to the beautiful sentiments expressed above. I would, however, like to share a prayer with you written by Cardinal John Henry Newman. He was one of the founders of the Catholic University of Ireland which was the precursor to University College, Dublin where John was the Professor of Surgery. I think John would like both the prayer and the connection:
“May He support us all the day long,
till the shades lengthen, and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.
Then in His mercy may He give us safe lodging,
and a holy rest, and peace at the last.”
Sermon 20, Cardinal John Henry Newman (1834)
John was always a great guy to spend time with; always challenging and forever entertaining. I remember as a newly appointed consultant some 20 years ago sharing a bottle (or two) of Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja with him in Valencia in Spain, the only other sadness was that the third of our trio that evening was John Anderson. We also shared some great South African wines together in Stellenbosch at another well-positioned meeting, as he regaled us with his extensive knowledge of the history of military warfare. He was one of the great encouragers always stimulating everyone round him to push harder and achieve more. He was indeed a highly educated man and a first class teacher and will be greatly missed by very many of us. RIP
I toasted John today with a glass of my best red wine. What an extraordinary man by any criteria! Although I would put ‘mentoring’ at the top of the list, there’s no reason to parse all his exceptional skills, contributions, and legacies. Surely, we need look no further than the number of his friends to properly judge the measure of this man!
Thank you, John, for all the memories. May you rest in peace.
David
John was a true friend and one of the greats in urology. He was a wonderful urologist, surgeon, investigator and leader. He was a true Renaissance man whose interests were more than just urology but ranged to history, culture, wine and cuisine. He was a great dinner and travelling companion with conversations ranging from prostate cancer to Julius Caesar and back again.
His impact on people who knew him is clear from the outpouring of email traffic on the AAGUS website that is without precedence. All of the comments had a similar string and that is friendship. Everyone that knew John considered him a friend and could recount an event or meeting where he was a large influence. I remember well our trip in New Mexico during the AAGUS to Taos to find a distant relative of mine, Kit Carson. The day long journey with John, Mary Jo and I was filled with stories, laughs and Margueritas.
I am at the AUA and still expect to see John at the Hyatt bar or chairing a session. I will miss him greatly.
RIP good friend.
This evening, I enjoyed an evening with friends at the opening evening of the AUA Annual Meeting in Orlando. We returned frequently during the evening to tales of Fitzy, as we raised our glasses to toast his great contributions and mourn his untimely departure. He had so many friends across urology, all of whom enjoyed his company and enormous intellect at the times of meetings such as AUA, where he was a firm fixture. I remember as a trainee in Dublin and London, looking up to John and his mates, Roger Kirby in particular, as they lit up the world of urology with meaningful academic contributions, but even more lasting personal contributions to the world of urology – they inspired me to want to work hard in this great specialty.
I was a failed research fellow of John’s and Bill Watson, but he found it in his great heart to forgive my failings and encourage me to pursue academic interests under the further guidance of another great mate of his, Tony Costello in Melbourne. Myself and Tony raised a glass to toast him tonight and I again reminded myself of what a great character and magnanimous he was.
We will miss you greatly Fitzy.
Declan Murphy (Melbourne)
Attached is a photo of us hiking with John in the mountains a few hours before John received the Spence medal at the AAGUS meeting (2010). Our lives are truly enriched by those we meet.
Peter
Roger,
I’m particularly sorry for your loss.
I know you two were best friends and a dynamic duo of European urology.
All my best in this tough time.
Dan
I trained with John Fitzpatrick in Dublin some years ago, and from then, John had an enormous influence on me. He was a superb surgeon, an intellect, a colourful character and a brilliant teacher. I feel proud and privileged to have known and worked with him. We have lost an icon in the world of urology. I shall miss him greatly. RIP Fitzy.
Rustom Manecksha, Dublin
Australian and New Zealand urologists and our Society USANZ have lost one of our true friends . John regularly visited our shores, and was instrumental in establishing the strong relationship between USANZ and BJUI . He not only educated us but graced us with his company and good humour , which we will all miss.
Personally I feel like I have lost a friend not just a colleague. He showed a genuine interest in people’s lives outside of urology and I treasure the many chats we had over a wine or meal, discussing many issues including respective backgrounds and family histories . He was such a special person and like others have said as well , I will miss his larger than life personality but rejoice in the knowledge that I was able to spend quality time with such a great man.
A sad day yesterday in Dublin, where dear John Fitzpatrick was laid to rest. The eulogy from his son Andrew, a chip off the old block, was eloquent and moving. Much was made of John as a family man, and how much he enjoyed being a grandfather. There were also many references to the care and compassion that he afforded his patients, as well as to the side we knew of him,the tireless international lecturer and communicator. His retirement years have been taken from him, but he would have been pleased by the full church and the presence of many of his friends from Ireland and from much further afield. We are currently putting our heads together to create a memorial service, probably in London, in a few months’ time. I do hope that very many of his friends and colleagues will be able to join us there. In the meantime please do continue to add your tributes to this blog.
Sad news on John’s passing. I was his Lecturer at the Mater in 1990. I have great memories of that year. He was an outstanding mentor and his teachings research and advice have stayed with me throughout my surgical career. He will be safely missed not only in Ireland but worldwide.
Yesterday evening the Southern Laparoscopic Urology Group (SLUG) observed a 1 minute silence at its annual meeting (FEST) at #AUA14 in honour of the great John Fitzpatrick. Along with Roger Kirby, he was responsible for establishing the first laparoscopic preceptorships for UK urologists through The Urology Foundation (TUF). This highly successful scheme led to the safe training of a number of UK Consultants with Inderbir Gill. John then encouraged me to establish a similar preceptorship scheme in robotics between TUF and King’s College London allowing trainees to go to Mani Menon, Inderbir Gill and Jay Smith. Patient safety and learning from each other meant a lot to him.
I had the privilege of being Professor Fitzpatrick’s last house officer prior to his retirement. From when I decided to do urology, a mentor of mine encouraged me to rotate through ‘Fitzy’s’ service- those 6 months were thoroughly enjoyable. Anyone who has met him will attest that he was an impressive figure- it was hard not to be inspired by him. He always had a story and spoke so fondly of his urology colleagues in all corners of the world. He loved to speak and was always entertaining.
For a junior trainee at the time- he educated in more than just urology, he demanded standards in all aspects of practice. In the Mater, he ran a weekly surgical rounds and always amazed me with his knowledge of surgery in general- during our tenure he introduced a weekly debate between subspecialties on topics pertaining to all- although partly for his amusement- he wanted to foster in us an ability to confidently present ones self and mainly to speak- as he did so well. He always had a constructive comment on how to better oneself.
I will never forget his detail for timing- being the first team to round on a daily basis- you could set your watch to him, you would hear his large shoes echoing down the corridors of the Mater. Always impeccably presented- he oozed authority and professionalism. It was and still is the only rotation- medical students attended without fail and seemed to enjoy. As a surgeon- he instilled a sense of calm in those around him and was a pleasure to work with.
He is a world renowned Irish urologist who we should all be proud of- he pushed the boundaries and encouraged others to follow.
I will miss the Prof. From the banter following the morning rounds with Kiaran outside St Anthony’s ward at 7am when I was an Spr (we all remember those days), to the squirming in the chair across from his desk in No. 47. We all have our favourite memories. It was all worth it, because he guided us through our careers. From my MD in his lab, to being his SpR and later organising my fellowship, I have him to thank for it all. I would not be where I am today. His enormous contribution to all his trainees can not be quantified. Although there was the day job in the Mater, he exported himself around the world, and represented Ireland and Irish Urology proudly on occasions too numerous to count. I only met with him last week to further our research project that John had long wanted to make a reality, Irish Prostate Cancer Outcomes Research (IPCOR). He was in super form and it was a highly enjoyable meeting. Improving the outcomes for prostate cancer patients in Ireland through this project and others will be his legacy.
Working with John at educational events was always exciting and unpredictable, as was cycling with him!
The world of medicine needs characters like John and he will be sadly missed.
His contributions to Urology are a legend.
Such a sudden event will leave his family and friends bereft and my heart goes out to all of them. I am so, so, sorry.
Mike Kirby
This is such sad news. When John was editor of BJUI I worked for the journal for a number of years, a time I greatly enjoyed and learned a good deal from. His work ethic was astonishing but despite how busy he was, he always had time for a chat, be it about the journal, or wine, or some sporting endeavour. Having been at numerous meetings for the BJUI which he chaired, he had the rare ability to make everyone feel that their contributions were valued and listened to. A true indication of a great leader.
The AUA is just not the same this year as the halls are not echoing with a characteristic booming laugh. Over the years I have participated in over 30 advisory boards and symposia with John in which, at many levels, he made major contributions often in tandem with his “sparring” partner Mr Kirby. Although he used to tease me unmercifully and empty my expense account, I certainly will miss accompanying him (albeit from the back of the plane). Hopefully, the many good times and laughs we had together will never fade. Thank you John for all the help and friendship over the years. McMike
John,
You were one of the most memorable great Urologists I have met in my career! We met in London with my fellow chief Residents from the Brigham! In 1980, (Dr Howard Snyder and Dr W Bedford Waters)! We shared time with Turner Warwick, John Blandy, John Wickham and others at the Institute of Urology on Shaftsbury St!
We became fast friends that lasted a lifetime because we always saw you at the AUA and had a memorable meeting in Ireland with my brother Mike Blute then at the Mayo Clinic! Always a smile and a joy to know and with respect as I followed your illustrious career!
Saw you last at San Diego AUA and hoped to see you in Orlando this weekend, Life Happens when you are making plans – thank you for your lifelong contributions to Urology – always your passion and love!
I will miss you personally in addition to the tens of thousands of lives.
You impacted me since we first met 35yrs ago!!
May you rest in peace!
Bob Blute
The extraordinary response from the membership of AAGUS many with memorable photographs speaks eloquently to the affection and esteem that was held by all for John.
I recall working briefly with John as he was developing the concepts of an endowment fund for BAUS and shared with him some of the lessons we learned relevant to our experiences with AFUD.
John was truly multi-talented and in all respects a avatar of urological excellence.
Jerry Sufrin
Dear Roger,
Reading the many tributes to John represent the shock of the great loss we all feel in receiving this sad news. He was a great world contributor to all aspects of urology but at the same time ‘a man for all seasons’ in the historical tradition. A great Irish character, warm and witty, empathic when needed and a trusted friend. We just planned to embark on one of his many initiatives ICHOM in his favored quote ‘Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re’. RIP John.
Louis Denis, MD, FACS
The Antwerp OCA team
We were blessed to have John last year for a few joyful days here in Dallas on the occasion of the 50th Spence visiting professorship. On this occasion I had invited VPs from every decade and John came with Fritz Schroeder, Patrick Walsh, Jay Smith and Curtis Nickel. We had a wonderful time and I will echo what everybody feels: John made every event more fun and enjoyable, his way with words was remarkable and his joie de vivre infectious.
The world and the world of urology has lost a great man and leader.
Claus G Roehrborn MD
Nasher Sculture Center, Dallas, TX May 22, 2013.
50th Harry M Spence Visiting Professorship
John at his best in his element surrounded by residents:
Thanks Claus for reminding me of the great 3 days spent with John at your institution last year. John spent several nights at our house a few years back and I still fondly remember his stories as he cleaned out my meager wine cellar of anything worth drinking. And Roger, what a great time we had with John touring the Boer War battle sites in South Africa. He was a great person to have as a friend.
Curtis
We all stand on the shoulders of giants and they become part of who we are.
A giant of a man – scholar, gentleman, intellect and beloved friend.
On a golf course in the 1980’s, I reminded John of the “three strikes and your out rule”, so he gamely picked up his ball (and his beer) from the tee, marched down the fairway threw the ball to the ground and struck out again with an infectious laugh. He proved that you could have great fun doing something that you were not even doing!
It is not growing like a tree
In bulk doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night;
It was the plant and flower of Light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in small measures, life may perfect be.
Ben Jonson (1573 – 1637)
Roger – like all others, I am very saddened. John was a wonderful mentor and friend. He charmed all he came in contact with. He will be missed by many.
Peter
Roger,
What a great loss. My sympathies to his family and all of the AAGUS members.
John
Dear Members of AAGUS, dear friends all around the world,
I am joining you in the grief to hear about John passing away. But he is not leaving our memories. Also many at Erasmus are shocked by the sudden news. John supported many of us, and I cherish the memory sitting with John and Roger and David Dearnaley in front of a BBC television camera, my first encounter with them and the media in 1996, having fun when John mobilized some Latin with a heavy Irish accent. John was a great person. Thanks for all, John.
Chris Bangma
Sad news. John joined Japanese Society of Endourology in 1994 and made a great contribution to Japanese Endourology, giving us a lecture entitled “Acute and chronic bioeffects of ESWL”. Condolences from all Japanese urologists.
Tadashi
Dear Roger,
Nalini and I echo all the sentiments so far expressed. He was great human being and a dear friend. He stayed with us at Nadiad on numerous occasions and shared wonderful memories. He was a great supporter of urology in developing nations. His sudden passing away will create a void that may be difficult to fill. Our heart goes to his family and we pray for them in these trying times. May his soul rest in peace. He will be missed.
Nalini – Mahesh
A sad day indeed… I started in Urology in London with John. He impacted on all Urologists internationally particularly Australia, by force of intellect and his charismatic Celtic persona.
Vale John
Tony Costello
It is only such a pity that John does not get to read all this heartfelt outpouring. Maybe he does.
Ralph
If there is a heaven, he is there and he has read EVERYTHING – as usual. Carl
It is said that people are immortalized in the memories of those who live after, and in that sense John will live for a very long time. He was a wonderful combination of Irish blarney, serious intellectual endeavour, and bon vivant. At big conferences, he and Roger were a fixture, planted in the central crossing point of the meeting, surrounded by a constantly fluctuating coterie of colleagues, connecting with the urology world, telling stories, relating humorous anectodes, and generally having a blast. John knew how to live. He made the BJU Int into a serious and compelling journal. He was a talented interviewer; he interviewed me for a series in the Journal, and before I knew it I was rattling on about long buried family stories, philosophical values, and other ‘stuff’ that I’d had no intention of divulging. He was warm, friendly, and idiosyncratic. He was keenly interested in other people and what made them tick. They don’t make’em like that any more, and our loss of him is tangible.
Laurie Klotz
Yes, so sad.
John was a giant among giants.
It will be hard to imagine being without him.
Michael
Am deeply saddened to hear of John’s passing. He was a great gentleman and a wonderful contributor to our field.
Arthur Sagalowsky
John was a great scholar with an infectious sense of humor. A unique combination. He will be sorely missed.
Truly remarkable the number of lives he has touched. I have similar memories of John from visiting professor in St. Louis, to scotch drinking in Berlin, to his intense interest in my work. However, from now on my first memory of him will be the out pouring of emails that followed this sad loss.
If a measure of a man is the number of friends he leaves behind, then John was and remains a true giant.
Adam
Goodbye to a friend mentor and great person. Life is fragile and far too short for some… John will be truly missed by all who had an opportunity to know him… John has made his contribution on earth and now will sip the “angels share”.
Alan
Truly sad. I met John as a resident when he was a visiting professor at Cornell. He was always supportive and enthusiastic about so many topics especially outside of urology. I was especially impressed as he knew more about American History than most American History majors.
He will be missed.
Thomas Jarrett
A flash back from nearly 20 years ago at the Institute of Urology London where John was examining my thesis. After a tough period of questioning I realised that I was going to pass. Then much to my surprise and that of the internal examiner, John suddenly asked me about “Ganguly”. I quickly realised that he was referring to Saurabh Ganguly the famous Indian cricketer, who had just hit a century. We spent the next few minutes discussing the religious experience that is Indian cricket, driven by its mad, passionate fans. A game that united a diverse nation which politicians had failed to do. Rather unusually for an Irishman, John was a cricket fan and would often enjoy a test at Lords!
Though I had never worked with Prof Fitzpatrick I knew him as a trainee and remember him as a great man and a great urologist and always had a tale for every situation. He will be sorely missed by all in Urology
Dear Roger,
I am so very saddened by this shocking news of John’s death. I first met John in the early 1990’s after stepping off a flight from U.S. to Dublin and going straight to his hospital to do a live surgery demonstration of a lap nephrectomy for the SIU meeting. He was so gracious and welcoming considering my junior academic status at the time and made my time in Dublin so very pleasant and special. He was a true gentleman and scholar and will be greatly missed by all who had the great fortune to know him. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
Sincerely,
Elspeth
This is truly a sad day for all of us. Yes, we have lost a professional colleague who was a giant among us in so many ways, but each and every one of us has lost a special friend! I warrant there’s not a man or woman hearing the news today who can’t look back on a wonderful memory (more likely memories) of time with John. Thanks, Eric, for sharing Andy Novick’s observation that ‘it was quite impossible not to have a good time in John’s company.’ What a legacy.
Condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.
David
An incredibly warm and kind friend. Our urology family truly has lost a legend. He even got me to try a scotch…and gave his wonderful laugh at my reacton.
Lou
I am so sorry to hear this. This photo is of John in Madrid in February. The sign behind him defines him. He mentored many of my generation from residency to professorship. A great loss to those who will never get to meet him at such a reception.
Chris
When I barely started on faculty at UTSW, Dr. Peters advised me to apply for a traveling fellowship through the Royal College of Surgeons to spend 6 weeks in the UK visiting with a variety of prominent urologists. John McConnell suggested I visit with John, which I did. He took me under his wing, dragged me along on a speaking engagement in Tipperary, and showed me the best Ireland has to offer. He was a wonderful mentor and friend and I miss miss him.
Peggy
Roger,
John was a wonderful physician, urologist, scholar, and gentleman.
Win and I had the honor of having John and carol visit us in Richmond a few years ago. Later they entertained us in Dublin. What a great loss to his family, patients, friends, and the urology community.
Warren Koontz
Truly, an International loss—of spirit, attitude, charm and scientific pursuit!!
Don
We have lost a great friend and colleague. I remember so clearly meeting John for the first time at the 1979 BAUS meeting in Bristol. He had just become a consultant in Dublin and, as always, he was so exuberant and full of life.
Chaz Brendler
My interactions with John were during his time as Editor of BJU International and at GU Surgeons meetings. He had a natural ability to engage those around him, and I always felt that what he asked us to do mattered. I consider myself lucky to have known him.
Hunter Wessells MD FACS
A true gentleman and intellectual giant! He will be missed.
Dean Assimos
Andy Novick once observed that it was impossible not to have a good time in John’s company…that certainly was my experience. he will certainly be missed.
Eric A. Klein, MD
It is tragic that John should die at such a young age when he had so much more to offer and enjoy. John was a giant in British Urology and his CV speaks for itself. John lived in the fast lane and enjoyed life to the full.
I remember when I was President of BAUS that John gave me huge support in every way and was always ready to support new ideas and take a major part in so many aspects of Urology. John will be greatly missed both socially and professionally for he will always be remembered with great affection as a truly larger than life character.
Michael Handley Ashken
As others of said, to many of us John was a world-class urologist and scholar, but also a close friend. I have the attached picture kept in my office of John with Melinda on a trip we did together to Yellowstone in the winter. This is how I will always remember him.
John McConnell
Terrible loss. As mentioned by Eric Klein I enjoyed some great scotch and fun conversations with John. His presence was loved by all. Every day with our friends and family need to be appreciated for us all. Events like this reinforce it.
Howard N. Winfield M.D
Pat and I offer our personal condolences to his family, and to his many friends. This was a man who will be missed by many.
Bealtaine titim an bháisteach go bog mín ar do pháirceanna agus go dtí gcasfar le chéile sinn arís, Go maire an Tiarna a shealbhú tú ar an dtearmann a lámh.
May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.
Kevin
Very sad news. He was a giant and role model for many.
Johannes
In the 90th we had joint projects with John Fitzpatrick and I worked several weeks in the animal house of the UCDublin. Every time I was there John found the time to see me, to discuss the projects and to have a pint in a pub. At this time John was already an established famous professor – I was a young urologist. He was my mentor and became a friend. I always was looking forward to see and to meet him at international meetings. John, we will miss you!
I remember working with John, as a colleague, while on a one year long locum stint at the Institute of Urology in the years 1977/78 where I was worked at different times as Senior Registrar/Registrar to all the Great Names in British Urology, e.g. Richard Turner-Warwick, John Wickham, John Blandy, Peter Riddle John Prior and Peter Worth among others. John was a kind and caring person and helped us all while working at the 3 Ps. He would ask after me, even after I left the UK to take up appointment as Consultant Urologist to the Teaching Hospitals in Galle and finally Colombo in Sri Lanka.
I last met him at the London Airport about six years ago, when he was on his way to share his knowledge with Urologists all over the world, as he was wont to do.
Please convey my deepest sympathies to his next of kin whom I did not know personally.
May the turf lay lightly on this great officer and gentleman.
Lalith Perera MS, FRCS.
Consultant Urologist, Colombo, Sri Lanka
I first knew John through working with BAUS on genetic studies in prostate cancer and he was so supportive and was one of the key players in setting up the links between the oncogeneticists and the urological community. He had tremendous energy and was always so charming to work with. On behalf of all those in the UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Studies we should like to send our condolences to all his family and urology colleagues – we have lost a great man and we will all miss him.
Ros Eeles and the UK GPCS Team
It is with great regret that BAUS heard the news of the sudden death of Professor John Fitzpatrick. John has been a huge force in British and Irish Urology. It was during his Presidency when I was Secretary elect that I came to recognize the enormity of his contribution to BAUS and the urological community in its widest sense, both here in the British Isles and internationally, he was the recipient of the St Peter’s Medal in 2004 and latterly as Editor in Chief of BJU International. It is important to recognize his personal contribution to the success of this journal in raising its international profile. BJUI is our international “flag carrying” journal and under John’s leadership the BJUI was seen as one of the most progressive and innovative journals in urological publishing, with the introduction of colour, high impact translational research articles and provocative comment.
As many have said, John was a great teacher, lecturer, and raconteur, his presence at any meeting simply lit up the room but, most of all, his positive approach enthused each of us to go and achieve our individual goals.
John’s and my paths crossed on numerous occasion during our careers. Always pleasantly, joyfully, and on my part, educationally.During each encounter, I learnt much from him.
On teaching ward rounds in my department, my staff and I were invariably astounded by the depth of basic scientific knowledge that John could bring to bear on the most simple case.
During his Dublin BAUS meeting, he conferred honorary life membership of that association upon me. The irony of an Irishman making a Franco-Irish Afrikaner an honorary Brit, did not escape us, and was much appreciated by John’s Irish sense of humour. He will be sorely missed by all those of us who got to know, love and admire him.
So sorry to learn of the untimely death of Professor John Fitzpatrick. I met him briefly at the last Vintners’ Hall Wine Tasting Dinner earlier this year. Clearly, he was a great wine enthusiast and had some fascinating things to say about the wines we tasted. What a tragedy that he was struck down so young.
RIP
Jane MacQuitty
The Times Wine Critic
80 comments and growing … a fitting tribute to the legend that he was. I think I first met John in Melbourne when I was on fellowship and he has been a great supporter of me ever since. Always had time to say hello at meetings and I remember a moment at the SIU in Berlin when I was due to speak at the highlights session at 0730 before him. As the clock ticked past 0730 with no sign in the room of either chairman, I wondered whether to just start speaking. Thinking on his feet, John hatched a plan for him to be the inpromptu chair for the session and introduce me!
A major shock and great loss for all of urology.
I worked for Fitzy for three years and in that share a long service record with David Webb from Australia, which I have worn as a slightly dubious badge of honour amongst other young urologists for many years since. I first met him when he examined me in my final medical exams in 1991, an uncomfortable (but thankfully successful) occasion which I still vividly remember! Over the next quarter century or so he became my boss, advisor, mentor (sometimes tormentor!), supporter and latterly a good friend. The very fact of being one of ‘Fitzy’s guys’ opened many doors and conversations for me all over the world. I have dined out on stories concerning him many times, my personal favourite being the time he convinced the cabin crew on a flight to request that his anaesethist Jimmy Gardiner come up from coach to first class to adjust his reading light! I always thought that story encapsulated his sense of devilment and humour well. He always had an eye for the future and gave a presentation (without slides) at a robotic surgery meeting that I hosted in Ireland on how the future of academic journals was in the on-line, not paper form, and it is amazing to see how quickly those predictions have come to pass, especially with the BJUI. Indeed, he took up robotic surgery in the last year before his retirement, and was a great supporter of our robotic surgery program in Ireland when it was in its infancy, and was not afraid to publicly champion Irish robotic surgery against international centers. He will undoubtedly go down as one of Ireland’s truly world renowned urologists, and made friends wherever he travelled, as evidenced by this blog and its responses. On behalf of all those young urologists that passed through his hands in Dublin, I offer him my thanks and appreciation and will conclude that I learnt an awful lot from Fitzy, and not all of it was surgery! Prof, thanks for everything, and I’m only sorry you were denied the chance to enjoy your retirement and latter years that you were so looking forward to. I’m sure a great novel of historical merit, or an extremely entertaining set of memoirs has been denied to us all.
Great man, great life, great loss
John had a great presence and has contributed much to the world of Urology. I was the first person he worked for at St Peters when he came to London in 1977 and he stayed for a long time and had the opportunity to expand his knowledge from which we all subsequently benefited. His sudden death so early in his retirement is indeed very sad.
Peter Worth.
I can’t say that I knew John well as many others did, but I found him to be a most engaging, knowledgeable, and entertaining man.
I had the great fortune to spend a week with him and Roger Kirby and John Dick and several others as we walked the West Highland Way in 2006 for TUF.
Most days he led the way, charging over hill and dale, all the while regaling the group with stories and tales intermixed with discussions on various urology topics in his deep baritone brogue. John and Roger were usually the first ones into the pubs that we came upon along the way. Their witty repartee entertained us all and was obviously borne out of a great affection and long friendship.
John gave me a great tip about author Ian McKewn, whose books I have come to love.
He always stopped to chat with me when our paths crossed at meetings.
His reputation as a urologist was almost beyond compare, he was a true living legend – a hackneyed but legitimate description of his impact on the field of urology. His work at the BJUI took it from a drab second tier journal to a bright vibrant place for important publications. He was an engaging witty and well informed lecturer. John and I had spoken about having him come to Detroit for a visiting professorship, but unfortunately had never finalized the plans.
Most of all, it seems he was a good and true friend to those who knew him best.
For a man with so many legacies this might be his best.
Jim
I first met Prof John M Fitzpatrick at the Institute of Urology in London in 1987 where I was a student. Thereafter, I met him at many urology conferences and always exchanged pleasantries with him. In 2003, I sent a controversial manuscript on PSA to BJU Int. Two reviewers wrote disparaging comments on the manuscript. As the EIC of the journal, Prof Fitzpatrick sent the comments to me and added a note that I should respond to the reviewers criticism and the manuscript was going to be reconsidered. I submitted a revised version of the manuscript. The revised manuscript was accepted. I believe that he used his judgement as the EIC of BJU Int to accept the manuscript. The paper is one of the most cited papers that I have written so far.
Prof John M Fitzpatrick, teacher and mentor of you it can be said “you came, you saw and you conquered”. May your soul rest in perfect peace.
Elijah O. Kehinde
I did not know John nearly as well as I would have liked, having met him only a few times. He managed to leave a lasting impression on me from even those few encounters. He struck me as a warm, thoughtful, highly accomplished and highly intelligent man who cared about important things: achieving the highest quality in the work that we do; supporting research to ensure that we continue to move the field forward; and mentorship of junior colleagues to make sure that the profession continues these attributes and fosters the development of the next generation of clinicians and researchers. Even medical oncologists, and even those located about as far from Ireland as it is possible to get, could hardly fail to be impressed by such a man. I speak on behalf of all members of the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group when I say thank you to him; he will be sorely missed by us all. John was one of those caught in the devastating Christchurch earthquake of 2011 during the USANZ meeting. Within a few months he was back with us, chairing a joint ANZUP/USANZ meeting set up to allow the trainees to present their research, presentations that should have occurred at the Christchurch meeting. His gentle and incisive comments were unfailingly constructive and everyone who was there will always remember how valuable this was. Thank you John for your support. Your legacy will be that there will one day be more like you.
I knew John (as Professor Fitzpatrick) since I was a medical student in Ireland. He examined me in my final year clinical exam as well as my general FRCS (before it was replaced with the MRCS). I enjoyed so many classes he taught and lectures he gave in so many different international urology conferences. I have always been in awe of how he managed to do so many things so well. On a personal level, he was also very easy to speak with despite his urology celebrity status.
It is clear that he lived life to the full and made a lasting contribution to urology. He will be missed. May the late Professor John Fitzpatrick Rest in Peace. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his family.
Hamid Toussi
Though, the cycle of life and death has to go on and on, it becomes hard to believe when some one jumps the queue. When I last met John I had no indication that this shining star in the field of urology is soon going to disappear. It is a very sad day in the history of not only urology but the whole medical specialty. I sincerely pray to Almighty God to rest his soul in eternal peace and give strength to his family members to bear this irreparable loss.
John was an incredible supporter of men’s health and Movember. His leadership and passion in building, supporting and strengthening the irish prostate cancer research community was quite extraordinary. On behalf of the 1.1 million mo bros and mo sistas around the globe, we thank John for his contribution across so many countries in not only saving men’s lives, but giving them a quality life.
I first met John when we were RSOs at the 3 Ps in 1978/9. He was as he remained all his life an ‘Irish Gentleman’. He could converse with Kings and Commoners and had the common touch. He will be greatly missed.
John was a man with a clear vision and a gift for leading others to acheive that vision. On BJUI he saw the importance of innovation and in particular the move to digital. He wanted to participate in as many new exciting things happening in the world of publishing as possible. He was of course absolutely right, and laid the foundations for a ground breaking reputation for the journal in the digital sphere. He was also one of the most roundly cultured people I have ever met. Dinners with John were such great fun. He would entertain with his sheer knowledge and intuition that would flow from his incredible well equipped brain. Like James Joyce, Samuel Becket and Brian O’Driscoll, John will remain for me a symbol of the country he loved so much.
So very sad to loose one so great at such a youthful age. I meet John at the Meath Hospital in Dublin in 1982, when he was a very junior consultant. He was destined for greatness, pushed hard in himself and in those around him. But always a gentleman with a ready laugh. We usually got to speak at the AUA, and it is especially painful that he will not longer be there. I will miss him. My heart-felt sympathy to his wife, and children and grandchild. And to the community of Irish urologists.
Dear Roger
Typical of John to bring so many old and new friends together in passing on to ‘better things’.
We go back a long way, like so many of those who give tribute and sympathy to his family. It was a real privilege to be at St Peters and the Meath when John was a young energetic rising star. Somehow he always seemed young and energetic, was a valued friend and mentor to so many people.
Life is sweet even though too short. Hard to believe we won’t be seeing this great fellow again.
Heartfelt sympathy to the Fitzpatrick family.
Mike and Linda
A very sad day indeed for this sudden and unexpected loss of John, a great Urologist at his relatively youthful age. As described by Roger Kirby that John’s contribution to the International urology particularly to the British urology society had been enormous and irreplaceable. When ever we met him in a meeting or conference he was always a great and humble gentleman with a pleasant ready smile. We all will miss him. My deepest and sincere condolences to his wife, children and grandchild. We pray to almighty God to rest his soul in eternal peace.
I first met John in 1980 when I came to London. It must have been at the Chrysalis club at the Institute in Shaftesbury Avenue. Chris Chilton and I then replaced John and David Rees as Senior Registrars at St Peters and the Institute in 1981 when they both left to become consultants. So for more than 30 years I have been meeting John around the UK and the world at meetings and have shared many happy times. John always meticulous in his appearance was caught short, with me in around 1981, in Singapore when we attended a reception at a meeting in Singapore not as immaculately dressed as usual. My luggage had disappeared to Bankok and we decided to go casually. John would have preferred to have been in a suit as would I. However the Aussies were in shorts so we didnt need to worry.
My last major memory of being with John was having lunch prior to 12.50pm when the Earthquake struck in Christchurch. We were sitting together at a table in the conference enjoying lunch and a lively and funny conversation when the floor began to move and the building shake and the stands fall down. We rapidly left.
I heard of John’s death whilst at this years Holyrood Society Meeting in the Border Country. I was devastated. We remembered him with a minutes silence and a toast to an absent friend. Fitzy as he was affectionately known will be sorely missed. Taken too soon.
I knew John as eminent international urologist for many years. I came in close contact with him during the TUF bike challenges starting in Sicily, then Malawi and Madagascar. John was a very good company in all these bike challenges. He was very competitive and seen to be in the front leading pack. He was very enthusiastic and willing to learn newer technologies. Whenever we met he discussed with me his wish to learn Robotic prostatectomy. Finally he told me he convinced one of the private hospitals to buy a Robot and performed the procedure. Such was his focus and determination. His contribution to international urology is matched by very few. He will be greatly missed by many in the urology community. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult times and I pray that his soul may rest in eternal peace.
John was not only a brilliant chairman and lecturer, he was also impressive with his knowledge in music, especially piano, and history. ‘Studying medicine was not my choice’, he always said, ‘I wanted to be a historian’. He knew everything on religion wars but above all, he was fascinated by Napoleon. To my big surprise, he was able to name every Napoleon’s Marechal and could describe down to the smallest details, the strategy of every single battle…
We are losing a ‘giant’, the world without him will not be the same.
What a terrible news. I still cannot believe it. Having not heard from John for the last few months, I dropped him an e mail on 8th May asking his whereabouts. Quick as ever, he came back saying all is well and wished to know if we could meet at AUA for a dinner.
I had known John for many years. In fact he was my Idol during my residency days in India. I first met him in Mumbai in 1990 (he always used to remind me of the dinner arranged by Dr Ajit Phadke at Hotel Taj in Mumbai, where all the foreign faculty was made to eat in Indian style – no knife – no fork! He maintained that many Indians are skillful surgeons as they know how to use the hands while eating!)
I moved to the UK in 1992 for further training. We met at many conferences, courses and academic forums, more importantly in Dublin when I appeared for my FRCS Urol exam! He was my mentor, a great supporter and always took interest in my career.
He was on my panel at many international meetings. It was a privilege to have him on my panel at various meetings, he used to make the discusion lively, used to make new points, used to think differently and I was sure that there would be a lighter punch and humour when the discussion was a little heavier.
The last course we conducted together was at SIU meeting at Fukoka on LND in urological cancers. The course I was to conduct was at 7.30 am, I did not see John till 7.26 am, I was getting worried. Suddenly I heard a roar of laughter from the nearby escalator, and there was John along with Michael Marberger, my other faculty and good friend.
John had been to India umpteen number of times. He knew every aspect of India – the food, the culture, history and almost everything. He liked the Indian attire and got a special one stiched for himself at Nadiyad for a dinner at Dr Desai’s place, he was named the Prince of India at that dinner.
Since I returned to India, he took a great interest in my career, always wished to know what I was up to and kept me busy with BJUI committements and other activities.
John, I will miss all those wonderful moments. I will cherish the times we spent, the cricket we discussed and walk at the Lodhi gardens last time we met.
I pray almighty, may his soul rest in peace.
My Tribute to Professor John Fitzpatrick, Former Editor of British Journal Of Urology International
What unexpected news of the sudden demise of this Icon of Urology with a strong character, tremendous intellect and great personality together with a sense of humour.
I saw the sad news in the BAUS website 3 days after his passing away.
The last time we met was in 2013. As usual, he was very energetic and jolly. On top of that, he looked very healthy and dynamic.
The tragic thing is that no one could say goodbye to him before he suddenly slipped away from this life as a result of massive subarachnoid haemorrhage.
He will be missed personally and professionally by urologists worldwide. His huge massive contributions to Urology and Urologists globally will be fondly remembered and missed forever.
May John Rest in Peace eternally.
Toe LWIN
John, together with Roger, set up a network for international trainees in the late 90s with a bit of support from AstraZeneca, called Innovators. I was always grateful to him for driving this and introducing me to so many special people. Very sad that he is gone, but sure he is looking down at us from a good place. Deep sympathy for his nearest and dearest.
I clearly remember meeting Prof Fitzpatrick for the first time sometime in 1994 in the Chrysalis meeting at the Institute of Urology, London. John had come to give a lecture and after the lecture during the break he saw the classical music CD in my hand given by one of the drug companies. We got into conversation and I was wonderstruck about his knowledge on western classical music as he went on giving his critique! John could talk on any subject with a great charm (Irish!) and authenticity. Thereafter I met John several times and every time he was warm and inquisitive true to his stature. When my co-editors and I requested him to write the foreword for our textbook on Urological Oncology, he sent the manuscript within 4 days. A great friend, teacher, surgeon and above all a nice human being; what a big loss to the Urology and academic world! His smiling face and towering personality will be missed. My condolences and deepest sympathy to Fitzpatrick family.
It is sad but uplifting to have read all the foregoing tributes to a truly great man.
John was someone who always had time for all. He had that innate gift of making one feel at ease and that what one was saying was truly of interest to him.
When John was starting out on his career urology was in its infancy. Following the work of the early greats – Pyrah, Mimpriss, DI, T-W, Blandy etc. – there was still resistance amongst surgical colleagues in the UK to recognise a separate specialty. It needed a new leader to take up the challenge and build on the foundations. John was just that man. He, aided by a group of colleagues, has by dint of aspiration, inspiration and perspiration, left a huge legacy to a new generation. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude.
His family can be truly proud of an extraordinary life and an extraordinary man.
At my age, I have experienced many losses, but few moved me like the sudden passage of John. No need to recount all of his attributes – we all know them. But his genuine warmth and interest in all he met will always bind him in my memories. When he was our Kaufman Visiting Professor at UCLA, one of our residents thought he could drink like an Irishman at the annual banquet, with the expected results. Mary and I were at the same table, and watched with amusement and admiration as John, with great kindness and concern, coached the resident through the entire ceremony.
Someone described John as “larger than life”. It is an oft used term, but it accurately describes John. We will never forget him.
Jean deKernion.
Roger’s comments are heartfelt and clearly show the affection that not only he but all of us who knew John had for him. Roger mentioned him as perhaps the most famous urologist in the world. That may be true but he undoubtedly was the most well liked urologist in the world. That is a much more meaningful statement.
Jay Smith
John had a towering personality and intellect and did so much for Urology. He will be greatly missed.
Very great our loss and grievous, so our best and brightest leave us and it ends the age of giants, say the files.
It came as a shock when I downloaded my e mail and read the demise of one of my professional supermen who always called me “the Second Perera from Sri Lanka” when ever I met him at several international meetings over the last 20 years of my urological career.
I have always made it a point to talk to him even for a brief second whenever we bump in to each other. Last time I met him I expressed my long term desire as the president of The Sri Lanka association of urological surgeons (SLAUS) to invite him to Sri Lanka as a guest of honour at a forthcoming Annual scientific sessions for which he agreed saying that he would like to visit our beautiful island and also to met his old friend Dr Lalith Perera (the 1st Perera!) who is enjoying his retirement.
Sadly I have to just live with these fond memories of listening to his mesmerizing brilliant lectures, panel discussions and comments and keep on admiring the endless capacity of a urologist par excellence of our time.
His legend and influence will be passed on to future generations of Sri Lankan Urologists making him an eternal hero.
Prof Neville D. Perera MS;FRCS;FRCS(Ed);Dip. Urol(Lond);FCSSL
Prof/Consultant urological surgeon
Department of urology
The National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo
I met John at the Jackson Hole Urology Seminars in 2007. I was on faculty for the first time, and John was on the critique panel led by John McConnell. We had a great time debating the merits and limitations of my presentation of a randomized trial of sural nerve grafting at radical prostatectomy. He was tough but fair, and led a great discussion. In 2008 he came to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to be the Andrew Von Eschenbach Speaker. He gave great summary talks on his work in benign and malignant prostate diseases. Fellows from that era still regale the night they had the opportunity to dine out in Houston with John and hear of his many tales touring the world.
He will be missed. It is an honor to pour many hours a week into the BJUI–the journal he loved.
John W. Davis, MD
Associate Professor of Urology
Director, Urosurgical Prostate Program
MD Anderson Cancer Center–Houston, Texas, USA
Associate Editor–BJU International
John has been lost far prematurely as many have said. He was a wonderful, warm friend with sparkling intelligence and camaraderie. When I thought of his premature death, I recalled A.E. Housman’s poem “To an Athlete Dying Young” and I thought that would be a suitable addition to my comments.
The time you won your town the race,
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.
John will be sorely missed.
Howard M. Snyder, III, MD
John and I have been friends since 1977, the year his first son was born and I find it very hard to give up using the present tense. His death leaves a gaping hole in the lives of Anna, myself and our children.
His greatest memorial, surely, will be all of those whom he has taught in every continent and most countries. It would be easy to say, in the familiar phrase, that never shall we look upon his like again; however, let us rather add to our confidence in the future by hoping that there will be many such from the ranks of those that he trained.
As we mourn the loss, we celebrate the life of Professor Fitzpatrick. He will leave his favorable mark on the world for some time to come because of his service to the global Urology community and his larger than life personality. I still have vivid recollections of the 2003 Irish Society of Urology in Killarney. I along with my colleagues Steve Jones, the late Stevan Streem, and Karl Monatague were hosted at the meeting by Prof. Fitzpatrick. Great time, great comraderie, great memories. My condolences to his family.
David A. Goldfarb, MD
I’ve known John through the charity treks and other events, starting with the West Highland Way in 2006 and later in the Lakes, in Corsica and in Nepal.
I was lucky to meet John at the beginning of our fund raising activities on behalf of Prostate and TUF and have shared many hours in his company. We were together on the three ‘greats’ – Kilimanjaro, the Corsica GR20 and the Trek to Mustang. Each was a serious challenge and brought the teams together during long days of both serious and light hearted conversation. We trekked through remote but beautiful landscapes where the only alternative access would have been on the back of a donkey – I am remembering in particular the trek to Mustang with stunning panoramas framed by white topped mountains, as we moved up the steep side of the ice-cold, fast running river in the thin mountain air. Unforgettable.
Then there were the cycling journeys where often the rides turned almost to mini races – whoever said these groups are not competitive(?) – and invariably John would be battling in the thick of things.
Too many experiences to recount here – but they have been especially poignant this past week. Such memories may fade but will remain with us.
John ‘Fitzy’ was a central figure in our activities and will always be with us.
This towering figure, this great and important man, sat on the pavement with me outside my house in Camps Bay Cape Town in 1997 drinking wine from my cellar which he had just visited (and raided!) and told me I would be mad to leave Cape Town and its beauty. But when I did he moved heaven and earth to help me clear the hurdles and settle in what he considered to be a “suitable” place for Marian my wife whom he always remembered fondly, and me. We talked often, we argued often too about wines, people, history of South Africa and the influences affecting modern South Africa. Erudite, Intelligent, Curious, Gifted really, and a true friend, loyal, generous with time and assistance and always a real pleasure to see in the crowd at meetings. I know I am just one of many who will sorely miss him and feel the world is a smaller place now.
What a fantastic tribute to the career and personal life of an outstanding individual who was a legend within his lifetime and had a reputation that will only continue to grow. His outstanding contribution to the BJUI was colour and it was our lives that he coloured.
I met him many times from early in my training and he was always charming and interested to know how things were going. I was very fortunate that he agreed to be on the interview panel when we interviewed Prokar for the Chair at KCL. Afterwards he provided me with some fascinating insights in to his own career development in a very understated and humble way but liberally sprinkled with quips, jokes and anecdotes.
Finally, once the professorial appointment had been confirmed and we were in a taxi together to meet Roger for dinner we had a frank discussion about how to convert a chair without upholstery to the complete article. Advice that has proved very valuable to us all at Guy’s.
He also visited Guys for a couple of days as a Visiting Professor and his contribution was immense and especially with how he engaged with the trainees.
Finally, I spent some time with him at a meeting in Amsterdam last year. He was just entering his retirement and one could tell that it was a great change for him but he was going to make the most of all the opportunities that his position within the world of Urology gave him, as he displayed the last time I spoke to him at the Vintner’s hall dinner in March.
It has been said of Guillaume Dupuytren that he was “First among surgeons, last among men”
Of John Fitzpatrick it should be said “First among surgeons, first among men”
Rick Popert
Guy’s Hospital
London
Last week, when we heard the news about John I was in Oslo with members of the international prostate cancer research community.The shock, sadness and spontaneous stories that followed from nearly everybody there demonstrated the incredible impact that John had on so many lives.
As well as all that he achieved as a Urologist, he was a great leader amongst the community of funders, charities and foundations determined to beat cancer. He was a real friend to all of us at Prostate Cancer UK.
The last time that I was with John was when some of us working for Movember Men’s Health partners had the opportunity to come together to discuss how we could do a better job of coordinating our efforts to have a bigger impact on the lives of men with prostate cancer. As ever, John was energised and energising for all of us there. He was full of enthusiasm for what we could do and frequently made sure that we did not get stuck in the problems rather than focusing on the possibilities.
It so sad to know that John will not be part of our efforts to crack prostate cancer but his untimely passing has inspired me and others to work even harder to make it happen – we owe him nothing less.
Having accepted Roger Kirby’s invitation more than a decade ago to join the Trustees of The Urology Foundation (Roger asks at a moment when a patient finds it very difficult to say no) one of my first forays with him was to Geneva to speak at a urology conference about getting messages across to politicians. And that is where, unsurprisingly, I first met John with Roger. They were clearly Urology’s Dynamic Duo – big characters who were universally liked and admired. We had lunch, we laughed a lot, we agreed to meet again and indeed we did – frequently over the succeeding years. On one memorable occasion John invited me to speak to students at UCD which involved a hilarious tour of late night chippers in Dublin following more than a few pints in the local bar. But there was also a serious side to John. He was a brilliant communicator and a hugely distinguished urologist. He may have enjoyed his frequent trips abroad but he only went because he was invited again and again to share his knowledge and practice with others. John lit up every room he entered. He was a pleasure to work with at TUF where he recently accepted our invitation to be a Patron but above all, he was a wonderful human being and a huge loss to all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. Our hearts go out to his family but if I were them I would treasure this extraordinary outpouring of love and respect from so many quarters of the globe for a truly great man. RIP John, with love from us all.
John the Fisherman
John’s first day of salmon fishing on the Tweed was typical of the man. His lesson started with the head boatman at 9am and by 9.30 standing some way out in the pool both were arguing; John was near to giving up in frustration. Back on the river bank discussing the theory of Spey casting over coffee the mood improved. By 10.30 they were the best of friends and John was actually Spey casting, a fly fishing skill that can take weeks to learn.
They moved up to Dripping Rock (a narrow fast pool) and by 11.30 John had his first salmon, followed by two in the afternoon. Roger Kirby ‘blanked’ but that evening led the toasts to John and a remarkable day’s fishing.
What sad news. Always ready to chat to younger colleagues and offer some (invariably good) advice and networking opportunities. I remember having a very fine lunch with him at the Succeeding in Urology course in Dublin in 2001, with Rioja featuring strongly – such brilliant (in the true sense of the word) company.
Sitting next to him on a transatlantic flight was a particularly enjoyable experience and made my upgrade to business class so much better (he must have been downgraded on that flight!)
A great man who has made such a tremendous impact, obviously far beyond just the urological world. RIP
A great loss to urology and the world. One of a kind. A true individual, but also a true member of the human family.
My first encounter with ‘Prof’ as all his trainee’s called him was as a third year Med Student in the famous stand alone Dept of Urology in the old Meath Hospital in Dublin (now like Prof, sadly gone). I volunteered do do a Summer Student Project looking at the effects of renal ischaemia and reperfusion on the renal vasculature in a rat model, a topic John had previously studied and published on with his good friend and colleague John Wickham. I still have the slides of beautiful microfill renal casts in my office at home. This was the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with ‘the Prof’ Like my good friend and Colleague Peter Ryan I was one of his earliest Research Registrars in the Mater Hospital (I was also his SR in the Mater some years later). Having learned from Peter who was a prodigious and meticulous researcher I worked day and night for some 15 months to produce a large volume of research on ureteric pathophysiology using animal and organ bath models. Between us we churned out the Presentations, Abstracts, Book Chapters and Papers which always got accepted as Profs name pretty much guaranteed they would.
If you worked for Prof and did good, you were rewarded with his loyalty and suport. (It didn’t work out that way always!!) The fear factor, the awe and the awareness of the stakes, drove people to excel. ‘Fitzy’ as we knew him fostered innumerable Research and Urological Careers for so many trainees that passed through his Department. With his reputation and contacts it was a given that his boys would be accepted around the world in Australia, the US and The UK for fellowships with many of his best friends and Colleagues.
We have in the past and no doubt will continue in the future to have many a chat over a beer relating the innumerable ‘Fitzy Stories’.
Sadly my last memory of John is that of a critically ill intubated patient on a bed in A/E in my Hospital, St Vincent’s in Dublin, prior to his emergency transfer accross town to the National Neurosurgical Center in Beaumont. Sadly he passed away there the following morning. I had a brief opportunity to talk with his wife Carol, daughter Emma and sons Andrew and Gareth prior to him leaving and offer some small support.
I know all of his Trainees will join me in expressing our deep sadness at his passing. After such a Career, to be cheated of retirement and family time is very harsh. If there is a ‘Urological Heaven’ he’s probably in it expounding on his favourite topic of prostate cancer, fine wines, teasing the trainees, urging them to get those abstracts submitted, boasting about his Bentley and his front row seat on the plane to God knows where, just generally being the larger than life and utterly unique Professor JM Fitzpatrick. May he Rest in Peace.
It was a shock for me to know about John´s death. Usually we met once or twice a year in small close meetings. He always invited me for his table and I will never forget our long conversations about his prefered themes: wines, football and… Napoleon. We never spoke about urology!
I will miss him! As we say in Portugal I will have “saudade”.
Rest in Peace,
Carlos Rabaça, MD
Urologist
Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Coimbra
Coimbra Medical School – Coimbra University
Dear all my friends,
I was shocked to hear of John’s death. Even today I cannot believe it. He visited Hungary and our department, gave presentations several times. We performed operations together. He visited us at home, as well.
Once I was very disappointed at losing a position in my professional career. I told him about it and during a long journey he – the former jesuit student – gave me strength, courage, belief for the following years. I have been always grateful for his help. I will never forget him.
May God bless his memory!
I continue to be in disbelief. Larger than life is what John is. We first met during my fellowship in Derek Raghavan’s office in Cleveland 8 years ago and it felt like he he knew me for many years. He is this invisible thread that connects people together. Never judgemental, always kind and positive. In his presence, you always felt like you are the only person he is talking to. He was keenly interested in other people. Life does not make too many of his kind so we all feel this giant loss. RIP John.
Really it is a great loss of urology development and what is done by John is unforgettable
As a surgical trainee I always found John Fitzpatrick to be inspirational. He embodied to me what it was possible to achieve within the field of surgery. His knowledge and expertise however stretched far beyond urology; conversations had on many mountains around the world were always as illuminating as they were entertaining. He shall be sorely missed by everyone in the Prostate Action expedition team. Rest in peace John.
As someone who was not fortunate enough to have met John, it has been touching, inspiring and illuminating to read all of these kind and heartfelt comments about him. I am sure that our driven team of Editors will be encouraged by these comments to continue to build upon John’s work and take BJUI on to even greater heights. All of this is only possible with the kind support of the urology community, who have so enthusiastically embraced our efforts to date. Our thanks to you all for your support, and our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and colleagues.
This photo taken by JP Droz at a meeting we attended in St Petersberg a few years ago shows John as the urbane, debonair man we all knew. John, holding the middle of the room, starting the evening as he always intended by clutching a glass of vintage champagne. This is how I and many of us shall remember him.
While unspeakably saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend John Fitzpatrick, I take solace in knowing that he lived life to its fullest. He wasted not a minute and I cannot imagine he would have a single regret.
John was a friend to more urologists than anyone. He was generous, funny, introspective, and intelligent in all the right ways. He was always kind and supportive to me and I value my time working with him on BJUI as a key satisfier in my career. Urology on either side of the Atlantic will never be the same, but it will forever be better for having John Fitzpatrick as one of its giants.
John would be so pleased with the tributes in this blog. One of his proudest moments was getting to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro first as one of our team of 14 climbing to raise money for prostate cancer research. He told me afterwards that he was at a meeting in Dublin when everyone was asked to stand and then asked who had climbed to the greatest height. John was the last man standing when the speaker got to 19,000 feet! Thank you one and all for your amazing contributions.
John Fitzpatrick was a very special man. A big man in all ways. Special by definition. His enthusiasm was contagious. He enjoyed everything he did and in particular he enjoyed life itself living it to the full. I cannot believe he has been taken from us at such an early age.
He played a leading role in setting up the British Urological Foundation and I enjoyed his company as a fellow Trustee. Later as Chairman of that Foundation I relied heavily on John’s experience as the Chair of the Scientific Committee and in particular for the need to redirect the Foundation to the training of British and Irish Urologists outside the U.K. This has turned out to be a great success and John’s foresight has to be remembered.
He thoroughly enjoyed my fine wines and my box at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium where we watched Ireland play Wales. When John appeared the “game was on”. His determination to beat all traffic problems, including fog, to get to Cardiff for the kick-off is well remembered by all who attended.
John’s stature and eminence in the world of Urology is there for all to see and best spoken of by all his colleagues, but to me, not of the Urological fraternity, John was simply a fine man. Always ready to help others. Determined that everything he touched should succeed. He was always stimulated by innovation. He lived life to the full and was always a pleasure to be with. He will be remembered fondly and sorely missed.
Handel Evans
Patron and ex-Chairman T.U.F.
It’s wonderful to be able to read such a range of tributes started by Roger’s lovely piece, and enhanced by so many photographs perhaps largely selected from Roger’s archive. My colleagues Deborah and Jo have written about John’s vision and drive as a remarkable Editor. I have worked with hundreds over a long career but John was unusual. He always saw the wood through the trees, set clear targets and inspired loyalty in colleagues to achieve those targets. Yet despite his passion for the journal his patients always came first. I twice saw him apparently lose all interest in BJUInternational when he was worried about a patient. I had no choice but to abandon the meeting or dinner, and I respected him for it.
When I joined the St Peter’s Hospitals at the end of the seventies, the chrysalis society and the Uroradiology conferences were a stimulus to both Registrars and consultants, and I well remember John Fitzpatrick challenging Radiological diagnoses, as well as supporting us. He was always full of unconventional as well as novel ideas, and was an inspiration to all as he progressed to international recognition, especially with his contribution to the modernized journal. He was a generous host whenever meetings were in Ireland, and an inspiration to all in his contribution to Urology.
We shall all miss him as a faithful colleague and friend.
John went on many tough charity treks – seemingly as if he had never done any training – but he always remained calm and never broke into a sweat. After several hours of fairly mountainous cycling in Sicily, Shan asked him how he was getting on with the gears; “haven’t used them yet”. And so it was, I suspect, for much of his life, sailing through whatever was thrown at him with consummate ease and without needing to ask for assistance. Not that he was adverse to help, as the picture of him in very cold water shows. He was great company on these treks, both to fall in with and have wide-ranging conversations on almost any subject (with John frequently challenging and making you really explore the topic) and throughout the riotous evenings when his banter was second to none. However, I will remember him most for his humour and timing – his ability to deliver a knockout line with precision. My other picture, also on the GR20 in Corsica, shows him where he liked to be, head and shoulders above everyone else.
Andrew & Shan Ball
John, accepting that on occasions, it’s good to have some help
John, where he liked to be, head and shoulders above everyone
John was always a very inspiring figure drawing my generation into urology and academia. Although i didn’t know him well, he made a strong impression on me from early into my career. He was knowledgeable across a variety of subjects, always keen to continue the conversation at the bar and always a driver for youth and the next generation. I remember one BUF breakfast, when lowly research fellows were brought to meet the hierarchy of BAUS and leaders in major pharma, who had so kindly supported our research. He made a fabulous speech, despite little sleep, and instilled in us that we would be the future for scientific urology. This made a deep impression on me. We will miss him socially at EAU and European Urology events, and professionally for his contribution to our field.
John was always great fun to work with. We were registrars together at St Peters in 1978 and John insisted we always finished off our work by opening time in the pub. We formed a travelling club to meet every year with all those who were training at that time. John was one of the leading lights of that group. Whenever we met we learned and we laughed more than at any other meeting and John always laughed the loudest. His contributions to urology have been massive but I will miss his friendship and his laughter.
I had the pleasure of getting to know John through my friendship with Prof Roger Kirby. We cycled together in Malawi and Madagascar and he was always very much at the heart and soul of the group. Always happy, always smiling, and always making jibes at Kirby is how I will remember him. I remember Nichols and I trying to sneakily ply him with Jameson’s one night but it didn’t work; never play an Irish man at his own game. It was the two of us that ended up paralytic, rolling around on the floor, whilst Fitzy sauntered happily off to bed!
Both socially and professionally John was a winner, he was one of life’s golden few. Next time I raise a whiskey it will be in memory of you, John. x
It was really shocking news… we lost a great man, great urologist, great freind and very honest brother…..
My sincere condolences to his family, to all urologic societies in the world.
So sad to hear of the loss of such a great urologist. I will miss his smile and his wit. Rest in peace. Gone too soon
John was a man whose reputation preceded him, and I ‘met’ him a long while before actually meeting him. He didn’t disappoint. Such a great character, and a true inspiration. He gave his all to everything he did, never compromising or doing things by half. The transformation that BJUI went through under his leadership was extraordinary, and it was a pleasure to work closely with him to help deliver on his vision of what journal publishing should be. He made such an impression on everyone who crossed his path – a trainee urologist at a conference, a waiter, the CEO of a company, a taxi driver – when you’d met John you knew it!
We had fun Fitzy! We travelled the world and shared its sadnesses and its grandeur! Whether we were distributing sweets to village kids in Africa, racing each other – and men and pigs on bikes – along dusty Malawian roads, sharing the terrors of mules pushing us aside on precipitous Nepalese screes, scoffing Kendal Mint cake while covered in frost at the top of Kili, or chuckling at some podium presentation in many a conference hall, it was fun! You injected a lively indomitable spirit into urological life in its broadest sense, always seeking the next challenge and encouraging others to do so too. Thanks for laying so many paths for lesser mortals to follow! RK and I will for ever be listening out for that commanding Irish voice saying —“Roger, Roger ——-”
Photo of all of us plus guides after climbing Kilimanjaro.
Another great urologist lost. A name we all knew as nurses along with the great John Anderson. His legacy will continue. So many urology doctors can be grateful for his amazing teaching and support.
My love and thoughts are with his family.
Roger Plail is right, we always had fun, or as John liked to say we “had a laugh”. Laughter typified and personified him. The photograph below was taken on the last occasion that we were with him, at the Vintner’s Hall, a fortnight before he died with Rosemary Macaire and Kate Holmes.
John Fitzpatrick was a force of nature.. What a great loss and still so young! I first met him in the company of Christopher Woodhouse, strangely enough in a pub opposite UCL, which was then known as the Duke of Wellington or the “Wellie”. I had just given my first paper at the surgical research society and he told me in no uncertain terms that my research paper had not added very much to what was known (he was wrong by the way, with the later paper being cited over 60 times, but no matter when John had an opinion on anything you knew about it!). We had a pleasant enough argument about it over a pint of beer, a habit that lasted for over 30 years. I was in Oslo with Pat Walsh when the news came through, indeed it was Pat that told me. John was a genuine international contributor. Academically, his major strength was his fine scholarship and he was well read on many other subjects outside medicine. Like Samuel Johnson he was always up for a night out and a drink accompanied by fine conversation. He remained a true friend to me over the rest of his career. We will all miss him.
John was irrepressible. All my favorite memories centre around the way John could mix the serious business of science with the capacity for fun and enjoyment. For John they always went hand in hand.
To so many, Professor Fitzpatrick was a colleague, mentor, scholar and friend. He was my professor of surgery, while I was medical student at UCD. He encouraged me to pursue a surgical career in Urology…I chose the other brain: Neurosurgery. He had a tremendous influence on me; for which I shall be forever grateful. He shall always be The Professor to me, and I regret very much I never shared with him, my regard, my gratitude and my high esteem.
We literally bumped into each other, in Japan, and again in London. I shared with him my modest professional and personal achievements. He was gracious, proud, encouraging and of course, annoyed…annoyed that I didn’t take his advice and pursue a career as a real brain surgeon: a urologist.
Rest in peace sir…god bless
Very nice obituary for John in the Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/outstanding-doctor-who-became-a-world-leader-in-urology-1.1823431#.U5M54yvxnrk.email. Several more coming up in the Times, Telegraph and BMJ.
I will add in the links as they become available.
John had a great interest for Indian Urology and he attended many meetings in India. He made many friends in India. His contribution to the BJUI will always be cherished. He was a role model to many as an international academician. My condolences to the bereaved family and friends. He will truly be missed by everyone who knew him.
Kim Mammen,
Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.
I have just found a link to eCancer to get access to the symposium chaired by John at ESMO last year:
https://ecancer.org/education/module/129-maximizing-survival-in-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer–mcrpc.php
John was always fascinated by the biology of prostate cancer and was so brilliant at communicating the intracies of this to others.
And here is the link to the last symposium that was chaired by John, where he was also a speaker. It was at the EAU opening ceremony in Stockholm on Friday April 11th, one month before he died:
https://video.molehost2.net/succinct/eau-2014/
Sad memories!
Here is a link to John’s obituary in the Daily Telegraph
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10996156/Professor-John-Fitzpatrick-obituary.html
Very sadly, news has just come through from South Africa about the recent death of Professor Chris Heynes. He was an important figure in South African urology. Another good man gone.
There is a BJUI face to face interview between John FitzPatrick and Prof Heynes recorded in 2011
https://www.bjui.org/ContentFullItem.aspx?id=669&SectionType=1&title=In-conversation-with-Chris-Heyns
Professor Fitzpatrick was truly an outstanding mentor to me. I respected him enormously, his knowledge, his leadership, his warmth and of course his sense of humour. From a research standpoint, there can be no doubt that Professor Fitzpatrick put Ireland on the map with prostate cancer. A leader we were all proud to follow.
I was very sorry to recently learn of the death of Professor John Fitzpatrick. He was larger than life, and was not only an important influence on his urologic colleagues, but also on those of us GU medical oncology. He was was supportive of the interactions of these two fields, and played a significant role in their development. I was first introduced to him by Andy Novick, during one of his visiting professorships at the Cleveland Clinic, and was eventually fortunate to have him as a friend and colleague. During the past several years, John was a supporter and an important influence on the Kidney Cancer Association, and its international meetings in Europe. We will miss his keen wit, his wonderful lectures, but most of all, we will miss John.
John Fitzpatrick loss will be much missed by the Urological community worldwide. His outstanding figure not showing up at the upcoming Meetings where he was scheduled as a faculty member will undoubtedly sadden the atmosphere. I find myself missing his charm as a man of science but also of culture, with his life constantly lived in the “fast line” (as it was appropriately pointed out) and at the same time deeply tasted until its last drop. My memories go back to the lunch meetings at the AUA where I had the pleasure to be one of his guests and to know a bit more of the “great man”. He had the extraordinary capability to be everywhere, always with an appropriate and wise message, always trying not to disappoint anybody. Last but not least, I cannot forget him catching some of his time to write the foreword for the book I recently edited with Roger and Culley. All he did in such a way to be remembered with deep appreciation.
Check out the link to a nice article about John in the ASCO Post:
https://www.ascopost.com/issues/july-25,-2014/international-leader-in-urology,-professor-john-fitzpatrick,-dies.aspx
Unfortunately, I did not hear about John’s passing until the latest issue of BJUI arrived at my doorstep. I actually started crying, and more tears are being shed in his memory as I read all of these beautiful tributes here. I worked with John for three years when he boldly decided to introduce the “Uroscan” column in BJUI. Having beaten out the competition for this freelance gig, I was introduced to the wonderful world of urology. He and I went on to do even more innovative things, such as reviving interviews of urologist as “Face to Face,” in print and audio, as well as a column on Internet urology websites. He even let me write some of his words from the editor (maybe I shouldn’t have said that!).. I always enjoyed seeing him at the AUA meetings, where he would flutter in and out of the booth and where we did a number of “Face to Face” interviews, not to mention the dinners we had where he always included the booth staff and me (of course, he always selected the wine!). I am humbled that the interview I recorded with John and Roger in honor of his leaving BJUI has been posted here. John treated me with the utmost respect and truly valued my medical writing skills, something for which I will always be grateful. He even said I could use his name anytime when trying to find more work. We also shared our Irish heritage. My condolences go out to his family and friends, especially Roger, and everyone else who knew and loved him. What a gentleman and a scholar (and a fantastic Irishman!) in the best sense of the word.
Kevin D. Blanchet
“Uroscan” medical writer, BJUI
Blanchet Healthcare Communications
I’m very sorry to be so tardy in writing this testimony to John, the bottom line is that everything that needs to be said about him is in the posts above. I will remember him as the “sort of urologist I’d like to be”. As befits his stature his passing leaves a chasm in the world of urology. I can’t remember who said it, but a famous funereal poem says that if your memory lives on in the hearts of those you loved you have truly lived. Everything that’s written above bears witness to the fact that John truly lived!
RIP
Sam Hampson
Hello Roger
I know what good friends you were. I was much less, but will miss his spirit as much.
Few people could ever mean so much to so many. Witness the outpouring of comment and sympathy.
I first met John in London 35 years ago and despite my colonial origins he embraced me. Together John, you and I sat on a terrace at the Sun City Hotel in SA 20 or more years ago when he cajoled the waiter to bring two more bottles of Nederburg as only the Irish in John could do. This is only one of so many fond memories I have of him.
Did he have a bad bone in his body? I defy anyone to find one.
I have lost a number of good friends recently. The product of being 70 years old. I would have loved John not to have been one of them.
Always your good friend, and with good memories,
George
Another nice obituary for John in the British Medical Journal BMJ:
https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g4742
I recommend that you read it. Some insightful observations from another urological legend John Wickham.
Some excellent news: one of my very generous patients has agreed to provide a grant to sponsor Alastair Lamb to work under the auspices of Professor Tony Costello in his prostate unit in Melbourne. Alastair will be following in the footsteps of Ben Challacombe who learnt the art of robotic prostatectomy in Australia. Ben is now one of the leading practitioners of this procedure, as well as robotic partial nephrectomy, in the UK. The grant will be administered through The Urology Foundation (TUF) and we have decided to name it the “John Fitzpatrick Travelling Fellowship”. I know that John would be proud to be associated with this award.The photograph below is of Alastair himself.
A date for your diaries: Dublin, 23rd and 24th April 2015, and a message from Kiaran O’Malley:
“We are planning a highly multidisciplinary gathering, just as John would wish, focusing on every aspect of prostate cancer from early diagnosis to advanced disease. We are putting together a faculty of National and International experts who are all linked to John in some way or other, and who will be keen to create an excellent educational event in his memory. Hopefully, this will go on to become an annual meeting commemorating John’s name.
We will have a session dedicated to remembering John on Thursday late afternoon/evening and which will feature some talks on Military History, which was of course a great passion of John’s. Tony Mundy, John Reynard and Culley Carson have each agreed to speak. It’ll be a unique event to commemorate a unique character. Reception and dinner will follow the session.
Overall, this meeting is being convened by John’s colleagues at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and University College Dublin but it is intended that the conference will always have a strong all Ireland and International flavour [main organizing group; Kiaran O’Malley – Urology, Bill Watson -Translational medicine, Michael Maher – Radiation Oncology, John McCaffrey – Medical Oncology]. Most importantly it carries the strong support of John’s family also”.
We do hope that many of you will be able to join us for this unique and very special occasion.
Some more photos of John
Memories of a sad day. This is a photograph of some of the urologists from England who went across to Dublin for John’s funeral. He is still sadly missed, but we are looking forward to the meeting next April in the same city to commemorate John’s life and achievements.
John Fitzpatrick was not only a great urologist and talented speaker (aren’t we all ?)but more than that, he was an amazing person, at the same time:a visionnary who turned the BJU from a traditional journal into an original magazine /scientific journal giving food to all segments of the urologic community; a voracious reader of history books who gave, in alphabetical order ,the names of Napoleon’s Marshalls (something no Frenchman would be able to do ); a wine connaisseur sufficiently sure of himself to tell and convince the sommelier at the Savoy that a 500 £ bottle of Chateau Petrus was corked and should be replaced; and finally an extraordinary friend blessed by an immense talent to enjoy life in every aspect. For all these reasons John’s memory will live in our hearts as long as we do.
John would be so pleased to read all these very kind words and to take note of the more than 20,000 views of this blog. A moving memorial piece has just been published in the latest edition of The Oncologist about him. Here is the link:
https://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/20/1/e1?etoc
I was having dinner with Roger Kirby in London recently and inevitably the conversation got around to John Fitzpatrick. We talked about the enormous gap there now exists in the world of urology, and ahead of the upcoming Inaugural John Fitzpatrick Irish Prostate Cancer Conference which will be held in Dublin on 23rd & 24th April 2015 at the Aviva stadium conference centre, I thought I should add a few words to this amazing blog. Anyone who knew John (or reads this blog) will realise that he had many special talents. For me, one of his most impressive gifts was his ability (and willingness) to open the doors to the world of urology for others. As a wet-behind-the-ears prostate cancer oncologist starting my academic career in Belfast more than 10 years ago, I found John to be encouraging, challenging and always willing to help. We shared many conference stages and had many friendly ‘radiation versus prostatectomy’ debates together (of course he usually claimed victory). In recent years, I worked with John on his vision to improve cancer research in Ireland through his role in the Irish Cancer Society.
I’m sure there will be many stories shared about John at the conference in Dublin. He showed that life is for living and he leaves a wonderful legacy. We will never see the like again.
Joe O’Sullivan, Queen’s University Belfast
John was a fantastic leader and friend. He had numerous friends in France and I must say that we met first 1994 In Karachi (Pakistan). Fantastic moments shared at the “First International symposium of the Institute of Urology and Transplantation”, March 1994. We were with some European colleagues as invited speakers and as always he was a leader, a raconteur, as well as the life and soul of our group.
My wife and I spent a lot of time discussing life and sharing our feelings as well as some great food during this visit. We could not do it again now in 2015 as we did then, because of the current unstable local political situation. I am posting pictures from the visit which was organized by our local host to a very famous archeological center.
The plane taking us back to Karachi in the evening arrived late. We waited for it all evening in the pitch darkness (electricity cuts were frequent in this country). My wife and I had hilarious moments with him and we will never forget his love of life and his very special kindness to us both.
John, we, and international urology, miss you badly.
Christopher Woodhouse delivered an inspiring BJUI lecture in memory of his friend John Fitzpatrick at the #JFIPCC. He kept his promise of never once mentioning prostate cancer and showed us much hope for the future of academic urology.
A very special memorial meeting for John in Dublin last week, extremely well organised, primarily by Kiaran O’Malley and Bill Watson. The Irish Cancer Society, for which John was Director of Research for 3 years was among the supporters of the event. An excellent BJUI lecture was delivered in John’s memory by Professor Christopher Woodhouse. John would have been delighted with the 280 delegates present, and the many fond words spoken about him. John’s family turned out in force: Carol, Andrew, Emma and Gareth were all there. John adored being a grandfather and would have loved to see the photographs of his six gorgeous grandchildren shown.
While I am writing, all our sympathies go out to to the people and climbers of Nepal after the earthquake there yesterday. John, accompanied us to the Himalaya for a two week trek in Mustang to raise almost half a million pounds for The Urology Foundation and I am posting a photo of him arriving at the beginning of the trek on a Yeti Airlines aeroplane.
Six days ago marked the one year anniversary of the passing of my dear friend, colleague, mentor, and father figure. I still struggle to believe John has departed the stage and that we’ll not get to savor his unique character and wit again.
Accordingly my colleagues and I at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, and University College, Dublin were very proud to host a very successful Inaugural John Fitzpatrick Irish Prostate Cancer Conference at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin in late April.
We convened a highly multidisciplinary and International faculty who were all linked to John in some way and who created an excellent educational event in his memory, and focused on every aspect of prostate cancer from early diagnosis to advanced disease. A link to an excellent and detailed report of the meeting is as follows:
https://trendsinmenshealth.com/reports/a-life-in-the-fast-lane-the-inaugural-john-fitzpatrick-international-prostate-cancer-conference
Finally, the provisional dates for the next John Fitzpatrick Irish Prostate Cancer Conference are 21 – 22 April 2016. See you there!
A few more photos of John: salmon fishing on the Tweed with the outstanding publisher Bob Campbell and cycling in Madagascar to raise funds for The Urology Foundation (TUF). We are cycling again for TUF in Rajesthan in November in memory of John. We have 48 signed up for this Challenge. Anyone else motivated to join us?
John Fitzpatrick was a huge influence on me not only as an urologist, but as a person. He was always honest and forthright but he also had such a disarming manner about him and authority that you knew what he was saying also was the truth or had a ring of the truth about it- even if you didn’t agree. Such characteristics are important as we journey through life. I was lucky to meet him through his many contacts at the Austin Hospital, Melbourne, where his former colleagues David Webb and David Angus who had worked with him in Ireland and probably knew him best. He was a great supporter of Australian Urology and was always keen to encourage younger researchers- this culminated in me receiving the BJUI John Blandy Prize in 2006 which helped tremendously in focusing my attention on pursing a more academic fellowship in Toronto- where John was also a much loved figure with many contacts etc… The theme appears to have been mirrored worldwide. I have so many good memories of dinners where John held court and told some of the many stories he had accumulated….over a “good” glass of red and usually finished with cheese of his liking. His smile and style remain omnipotent over many of us. RIP John
John’s last job was Director of Research with the Irish Cancer Society. Read Christopher Woodhouse’s account of his involvement and also how Christopher’s sister was involved in the creation of this successful charity: https://trendsinmenshealth.com/article/john-fitzpatrick-and-the-irish-cancer-society/
This memorial blog for John has just clocked up it’s 30,000th view! That is rather amazing, and is a tribute to his influence and popularity! We are soon embarking on a 500 Km cycle challenge in Rajasthan in memory of John and to raise funds for his favourite charity The Urology Foundation (TUF). You can read more about the ride on a blog that we have just posted: TUF Cycle India. Do follow our progress and, if you are feeling generous, feel free to donate to the cause!
Take a look at the blog on the http://www.bjui.org website about the upcoming TUF charity ride in Rajasthan in memory of John. Here is the link: https://www.bjuinternational.com/bjui-blog/tuf-cycle-india/
Just back from the TUF Cycle India in memory of John Fitzpatrick! He would have enjoyed the sights and sounds of India, a country he loved and visited very often. John came with us to Sicily, Malawi and Madagascar, and had it in mind to be with us in Rajasthan. Sadly it wasn’t to be, but we remembered him as we cycled 500 Km from Agra to Jaipur, along dusty tracks and through muddy villages. Do visit the blog to read more about the trip. Here is the link: https://www.bjuinternational.com/bjui-blog/tuf-cycle-india/
Read Christopher Woodhouse’s (aka Lord Terrington) excellent write up of his John Fitzpatrick memorial lecture about the past and the future of urology, delivered in Dublin this summer. Here is the link: : https://trendsinmenshealth.com/article/things-aint-what-used/
Do consider attending the Second John Fitzpatrick Prostate Cancer Meeting in Dublin on the 21st -22nd April 2016. Some excellent speakers. Here are the details: https://www.irishprostatecancerconference.org/programme.html
We are delighted to announce that registration for the next TUF Cycle challenge in Vietnam and Cambodia is now open! Sadly John will not be with us, but he will be with us in our thoughts!
Attached is the full information pack and the link to sign up is below:
https://www.actionforcharity.co.uk/eventdetailsnew2.php/urlsearch/TUF-Cycle-Vietnam-to-Cambodia-2017
We would really appreciate it if you were able to forward this information pack onto anyone you think may be interested in joining the TUF team. TUF was founded with the help of John Fitzpatrick and it is a charity that always had a very special place in his heart.
Two years now since the unique John Fitzpatrick left the urological stage so suddenly. I first met him at BAUS Liverpool in 1980 holding court in the bar of the Adelphi Hotel where the entire meeting was held. The last time I saw him was 2012 at BAUS in Glasgow talking about the music of Janecek and quizzing me about the financial problems of Scottish football. If anyone fancies a memorial Guinness at BAUS – either at the Adelphi or if wet Jury’s Inn opposite the conference venue – probably around 12.30 on the Wednesday I will leave a notice on Richard Greehalgh’s stand for names of those interested.
If John were still with us he would be signing up for our next exciting cycling challenge to raise further funds for the charity he loved and helped us to found: The Urology Foundation (TUF). Next year we paln to cycle from Vietnam to Cambodia. For more details go to the Action for Charity website:
https://www.actionforcharity.co.uk/eventdetailsnew2.php/urlsearch/TUF-Cycle-Vietnam-to-Cambodia-2017.
Do join us. See you in Vietnam!
It is more than 2 years now since John passed away so suddenly. However a gratifyingly large number of people continue to visit this blog, which would make John very happy! Some of you may want to take a look at this short film that we made as a tribute to our dear departed friend:
https://trendsinmenshealth.com/video/john-fitzpatrick-1948-2014/
Happy New Year to the loyal readers of this Fitzy blog that has just exceeded 49,000 views!
I have just found a few more photos to add to it. Hoping to hit the 50,000 views watershed before too long!
John Fitzpatrick was one of the first people to comment on the BJUI blog about Gross Negligence Manslaughter (GNM) shortly after David Sellu was sentenced to 3 years in prison for a delayed diagnosis of peritonitis. An all-day meeting at the Royal Society of Medicine on “Patient Safety, Litigation and Gross Negligence Manslaughter”, with speakers including David Sellu, Sir Robert Francis QC and Professor Sir Terence Stevenson, Chairman of the GMC has now been organised on Friday the 21st April. You can register online here:
https://www.rsm.ac.uk/events/events-listing/2016-2017/sections/urology-section/urh08-patient-safety,-litigation-against-doctors-and-gross-negligence-manslaughter.aspx
Do come along and join the discussion.
Celebrations! The John Fitzpatrick blog has now exceeded 50,000 views! Just over two and a half years after his untimely demise, I obviously can’t be the only person who still misses him badly! What would he think of Brexit, and the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the USA? Not overly impressed I suspect! A massive thank you to all of you “Fitzy” supporters who, like me, keep visiting this blog. RIP John, our thoughts are with you.
Seeing John’s achievements recognised here at his eponymous Irish Genitourinary Cancer Conference in Dublin, it seems timely to demonstrate how his influence on urology lives on.
My initial contact with John may have been more than 20 years ago, when as a young graduate seeking a career in urology he congratulated me on “presenting confidently” (I know presume an appropriately used euphemism for lacking knowledge), but even in his absence I now sit in a room full of other urologists he encouraged, researchers whom he inspired, and trainees still benefiting from his influence. Amongst these are the 6 Irish urologists with fellowships at the Austin Hospital at the University of Melbourne, a direct consequence of the facilitation of this association by John. These friendships which are now a key part of the lives of all of the urologists in our department would not have been established without his influence.
There will never be debate in my mind about the great extent to which John’s support directly assisted myself – whether it be the references he provided for me, his appointing me to the BJUI editorial board, or the good political advice he was always able to provide. The true measure of someone’s contribution is probably best judged by posterity however, and to see a large room filled with people united by their association with him all of whom have a common goal of advancing clinical work and research, and patient management in urology, suggests to me that his positive influence endures today and will continue to do so for decades to come. You remain most relevant my friend, JF.
It is truly an honour to be here in in Dublin as a guest speaker at the John Fitzpatrick Irish Genitourinary Cancer Conference (@JFIGUCC). The legacy John left us is alive and well. This includes academic as well as teaching and social facets for which John was so well known.
The warm welcome, hospitality and organization are excellent and are of the high standard John would expect!
This annual meeting will no doubt continue to grow and I encourage anyone with an interest in Uro-oncology to attend.
Warm regards to all.
Nathan
Read the report from the 3rd John Fitzpatrick meeting on Genitourinary Cancer held in Dublin last month:
https://trendsinmenshealth.com/reports/john-fitzpatrick-irish-genitourinary-cancer-conference/