St Vincent’s Hospital Medical Alumni Association

Welcome to the winter 2015 e-newsletter of your association

In this edition – in brief

Historical Talk and Cocktail Party 2015

St Vincent’s Hospital Medical Alumni Association………………………………..………..read more

Medical Alumni Association Annual Golf Day, 2015

Held again at Green Acres Golf Club…………………………………………………..………….read more

1965 Graduating Year Reunion ………………………………………………….………………...read more

St Vincents’ Medical Alumni honoured

In the Queen’s Birthday announcements for 2015………………………….……….…….read more

Obituaries

Mr John C Doyle …………………………………………………………………………………...………read more

Dr Peter L Brown…………………………………………………………………………………..………read more

Professor Roger Blamey……………………………………………..…….………………..……..…read more

Dr Elizabeth Maree Christian…………………………………………………………..…………...read more

Congratulations to Professor Helen Herrman

The Alumni Association wishes to congratulate..……………………………………………read more

From the Archives Department…………………………………………………………..…….….read more

News from St Vincent’s Hospital ......................................................................read more

Postscript …………………………………………………………………………………………….…...….read more

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Annual Cocktail Party and Historical TalkSt Vincent’s Hospital Medical Alumni Association is delighted to invite you and your guests to the Annual Cocktail Party and Historical Address on Sunday 19 July 2015. This year, our speaker is Associate Professor Robyn Langham and her topic is ‘A History of Renal Medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital’.

Assoc. Prof. Robyn Langham trained in renal medicine at Monash Medical Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Alfred Hospital and in Oxford. She joined the Department of Nephology at St Vincent’s Hospital as a staff specialist in 2001. In 2004, she was appointed Head of Department at St Vincent’s. In 2013 the Department celebrated 50 years of dialysis at St. Vincent's.

The event starts with welcome drinks at 4.30 pm with the presentation commencing at 5.15 pm. If you have not already registered (cost $40), please contact our secretary Sue Mabilia by email Susan.MABILIA@svha.org.au or by telephone on 9231 2304.

Medical Alumni Association Annual Golf Day, 2015Held again at Green Acres Golf Club in East Kew in wonderful weather conditions, 44 players competed for the Doyle-O’Sullivan Cup. The popular winner of the Cup for 2015 with 39 stableford points was Dr Oliver Larkin (pictured below). Runner-up on a countback was Dr John Dowling.

In addition to the main competition for the Cup, prizes also were awarded to the best team score and for longest drive and nearest to the pin. The winning team (group of four) with 91 points were Drs Jeremy Hammond, David Pryde, Oliver Larkin and Michael Leyden. Nearest the pin prizes were won by Dr John Dowling and Dr Michael Denton, and the longest drive prizes went to Dr Brett McGuirk and Dr Anne Cass.

The golf day had a number of sponsors including St. Vincent’s Pathology, Doquile Perrett Meade Financial Services and Audi Centre Melbourne and Richmond. The Association is very grateful for their support. Green Acres golf course was in excellent condition and we thank the club’s staff for making our group very welcome. Thanks also to the convenor of the golf day, Dr David Olive, who once again ensured a very well run and very enjoyable day for all.

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The date for our 2016 golf day is Friday April 1, again at Green Acres.

1965 graduating year reunion Members who graduated in December 1965 are asked to contact Dr Charles Arter (email chasdoc@bigpond.com.au) to let him know of their interest in joining a 50 Year Reunion of the St Vincent’s Clinical School year group.

St Vincents’ Medical Alumni honouredIn the Queen’s Birthday announcements for 2015, several of our alumni were honoured. Recipients included:

Dr Hugh David NIALL AO, for distinguished service to biomedical science, particularly in the field of hormone sequencing, to higher education and research commercialisation initiatives, and to student development programs.

Dr Catherine Mary CROCK AM, for significant service to medicine, particularly to improved patient and family care and community healthcare standards, and to the arts.

Associate Professor John Richard (Jack) MACKAY AM, for significant service to medicine in the field of colorectal surgery, to clinical governance, and to professional organisations.

Professor John Francis SEYMOUR AM, for significant service to medicine in the field of haematology, through a range of senior appointments in blood and bone marrow cancer research.

Obituaries

Mr John Coundley Doyle MBBS, FRCS, FRACS.17/06/1932- 23/03/2015

John Doyle, formerly Director of Vascular Surgery at St. Vincent’s Public Hospital and Medical Director at St. Vincent’s Private has died, after a lifetime of exemplary service and outstanding leadership to both hospitals. I first met John in 1964,and over the 50 years since then he became in turn to me a teacher, mentor , close colleague and good friend.

John Coundley Doyle was born on 17 June 1932, the eldest of three siblings. His early education was at CBC St. Kilda, until moving to Xavier College in year 9. He matriculated in 1950, and was Captain of the School in that year, also playing in the First Eighteen and First Eleven. The following year he commenced Medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours through the St. Vincent’s Clinical School in 1956, third in the year behind Henry Burger.

John commenced as a junior medical officer at St. Vincent’s in 1957, working through the usual rotations, but particularly remembering his time with Professor John Hayden in the

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Professorial Medical Unit, and his rotation through the Charles Osborne Surgical Unit where he first came to know John Connell.

In 1959 John married Ann Considine in April and in August they moved to England where John commenced his surgical career. He won the Hallet Prize, first place in the Primary Examination of the FRCS, while studying at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, and then worked at the Essex County Hospital before completing his surgical training as surgical Registrar and Lecturer in the Professorial Surgical Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, under Professor W T Irvine. He also worked with Mr. Felix Eastcott, a pioneer vascular surgeon who had performed the first carotid reconstruction. His experience at St. Mary’s exposed John to over 2 years concentrated training in vascular surgery, a then emerging new specialty.

In 1964 John returned to Melbourne and St. Vincent’s, taking up a Hospital and Charities Fellowship in Vascular Surgery in the Connell Unit, practising both general and vascular surgery. In late 1965 and early 1966 he joined Peter Ryan as a surgeon in the St. Vincent’s Hospital Team to South Vietnam. On his return he was appointed to Professor Dick Bennett’s fledgling Department of Surgery as First Assistant and Senior Lecturer. He held this position until 1970 when he joined Des Hurley’s Surgical Unit as Outpatient Surgeon, continuing in that position until the Vascular Surgery Unit was formed in 1980.

In 1977, a Vascular Outpatient Clinic with 5 inpatient beds was established, with John Connell, John Doyle and John Gurry appointed. On the formation of the Vascular Unit, John Connell became the Senior Surgeon. Following John Connell’s retirement in 1987, John became the Senior Surgeon and Director, retiring as Director in 1994 and from St. Vincent’s Public in 1997. John was most influential and instrumental in setting up the Vascular Surgery Unit as a separate specialty from General Surgery, finally convincing an at times reluctant John Connell that this was the way forward. As Head of Unit, he recognised, embraced and

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encouraged the emergence of endovascular surgery. He also introduced cervical plexus block anaesthesia in carotid endarterectomy, in cooperation with Michael Davies and Keith Cronin from the Department of Anaesthesia, leading to a significant improvement in outcomes. John published and presented a number of papers on various aspects of vascular disease and surgery during his career.

During his time at St. Vincent’s, John held many senior positions; at various stages he was Chairman of the Senior Medical Staff, Chairman of the Division of Surgery, Coordinator of Medical Graduate Education, Medical Service Director Special Surgery, a member and Chairman of the Electoral College, a member and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council, and importantly an inaugural Director of the newly incorporated Board of St. Vincent’s Public Hospital. His influence and leadership was considerable, as was his mentoring and teaching of students, residents and junior specialists.

As well as his work at St. Vincent’s Public, John was also in private practice, operating mainly at St. Vincent’s Private, the Mercy and St. George’s. In 1995, on John Clarebrough’s retirement, John became part time Medical director of St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, holding that position there and at the combined St. Vincent’s and Mercy Private Hospital until 2006. He was very influential in this role providing wise counsel, practical advice and principled leadership and was highly regarded and respected by staff at every level.

A man of great integrity, very high personal standards, and compassion for the sick and underprivileged, John was widely read, particularly in biographies, the French Revolution, the Second World War and Winston Churchill, with an remarkable recollection for historical dates and facts. He was a conservative but very competent surgeon and excellent diagnostician in a field where conservatism paid. He was a kind and considerate doctor much admired by patients, families and nurses alike. Family values were most important, and together John and Ann were a great team

John had more than his share of medical problems in recent years, and indeed decades of chronic back and neck pain following earlier injuries. His stoicism and acceptance of his problems was quite remarkable. John died on 23rd March, leaving Ann, his loving and devoted wife of 56 years, their 4 children and partners, and 7 grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

John F Gurry was a colleague of John Doyle and succeeded him as head of the Vascular Surgery Unit.

Dr Peter Leon Brown MB BS, FRACGP25/4 /1939 – 26/2/2015

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Peter Brown was the epitome of a good GP, not surprising given his generous nature, high intelligence, deep awareness of ethical and social issues and thoroughness of preparation. Peter obtained most of his primary school education and all of his secondary school education as a boarder at St Patrick’s College Ballarat where he won a Commonwealth Government Scholarship and was thus able to enrol in medicine at Melbourne University. He commenced his studies in 1958 and graduated via St Vincent’ Hospital Clinical School in 1964.

He was a Junior Resident Medical Officer (intern) at St Vincent’s in 1965. He briefly harboured a thought of pursuing a career as a neurosurgeon but opted for general practice. In those times, although the College of General Practitioners had been established in 1958, there was no structured training program for general practice. Instead the best and most highly sought after preparation for such a career was to undertake a year as an RMO at the Royal Women’s Hospital and then a year at the Royal Children’s. Through Peter’s excellent undergraduate record and good references from his supervisors at St V’s he managed to gain both those appointments.

These early postgraduate years were very happy but also very hectic. As a student Peter had met a beautiful young woman, Virginia Ross, via his local parish and they had married while he was a final year medical student. Their first child Katie arrived during his intern year and then twin girls Georgina and Emily were born while Peter and his family were residing in quarters (an old terrace house) at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Having completed this training, Peter joined an established general practice run by Dr Paul Adrian in Mitcham and after a short time he became a partner in the practice, where he spent his entire career.

General practitioners in suburban Melbourne then could, if appropriately trained, undertake obstetrics and Peter delivered many hundreds of babies in nearby hospitals over the first half of his career. He was also expected to act as anaesthetist for visiting surgeons who operated on his patients. Gradually both those roles were phased out as more specialists appeared on the scene. Peter was aware that the nature of general practice was changing and that it would be beneficial for his patients if he were formally trained in counselling so this he undertook. He also studied for and passed the examinations for the Fellowship of the

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newly established Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, becoming an early Fellow of the College.

Meanwhile his family had grown to four with a son, Jonathan, being born. Although his medical practice was very demanding (night calls were handled by the two partners), he was devoted family man and was very active in local parish life and in the schools that his children attended. His agreement with Paul Adrian when the two commenced their partnership was very farsighted as it included the right of both doctors to take a lengthy period of long service leave. Peter and Virginia thus were able to spend four and a half wonderful months travelling throughout Europe in a campervan with their four children in 1980. He also managed to take on a number of hobbies, many shared with family and friends, including camping, canoeing, bushwalking, pottery and writing limericks.

Peter retired from his practice in 2002 and from all general practice three years later. He then took on voluntary work as a doctor to the Refugee Resource Centre. This role was interrupted in 2010 when he was diagnosed with a rare and highly malignant abdominal tumour which required extensive treatment including major surgery. His tumour recurred on a number of times and additional treatment and further surgery was needed in the last eighteen months of his life. He bore all this with great courage, supported by his wife and family and his great faith.

As Peter’s illness progressed, we visited him regularly, and towards the end, we saw him on most Friday mornings. Virginia would make tea for us, and together we would spend an hour or so, talking about day-to-day things, dwelling little on his illness. We talked of experiences in our varied medical careers, our successes and failures. We talked of our lives and their ups and downs. Despite his discomfort and the stark inevitability of his prognosis, Peter never seemed downcast and we had many laughs, mainly at ourselves. But to us, the ordinary progressively lost its ordinariness, as we knew it was likely that we might not ever share his company again. Each time we left him, between us there was a sense of our special privilege, to have been close to this quite exceptional but unassuming man. And so it was, on the Friday before he died, that he shook each of our hands in the warm and genuine way that was his trademark, and he died peacefully at home a few days later. He is survived by Virginia and their four children and ten grandchildren.

The words of the Irish poet Yeats come to mind:

‘Think of where man’s glory begins and ends,

I say my glory was I had such friends’.

Vale Peter Leon Brown, a fine doctor, a warm friend, a great family man and a wonderful human being.

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Contributed by Drs James King and Kerry Breen, close friends of Peter and fellow St Vincent’s Hospital graduates (1964).

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Professor Roger Wallas Blamey MD, ChB, FRCS, FRACS (Hon)1935- 2014

Born in London, Roger was educated at Highgate School London, and Downing College, Cambridge University. He represented his College in rowing and rugby. His clinical training was undertaken at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons four years later, following which he was awarded a Research Fellowship with Professor Pat Forrest in Cardiff. He was awarded an MD from Cambridge in 1969 for his thesis on ‘Immunological aspects of tumour growth’. Following a further clinical post with Professor Roy Calne, he came to the Department of Surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne as Senior Lecturer for two years.

He participated in all departmental activities, but in particular assisted in the developing the renal transplant program. He showed a keen interest in other clinical/ research activities within the hospital, and visited a number medical scientists working elsewhere in Melbourne and interstate. He made friends easily and to their mutual enjoyment.

Roger had brought with him his wife, Norma, and three young children. They rented an apartment in Parkville, from which they enjoyed exploring Carlton, the MCG and the Victorian beaches. Brian Collopy invited him in 1972 to watch the opening day of the Boxing Day Test against England, from the comfort of the Members Stand. But before a ball was bowled and while they were still in Brian’s car the heavens opened, as if on Roger’s cue. The rain did not stop and the Test was washed out without a ball being bowled - but he did witness the first One Day International between the two teams put on as a replacement! He loved our beaches but not the summer bushfires. He drove from Adelaide to Melbourne on the day of Ash Wednesday fires and lived to tell the tale after several anxious moments. He loved recounting the details!

On his return to Britain he completed his surgical commitment in Cambridge before his appointment as Senior Lecturer in the University of Nottingham in 1973. The new medical school, including the Department of Surgery headed by Professor Jack Hardcastle, was mainly sited at the University Hospital, but Roger had the task of establishing a separate Unit in the City Hospital. He did this with great vigour, flair and success. In 1980 he was appointed Professor of Surgical Science.

In 1973 renal dialysis and transplantation were not readily available and young patients were dying who could have been saved. Professor Hardcastle wrote about this phase: ‘With the support of a local physician, Martin Knapp, and the local emergency department, he performed the first renal transplant in February 1974. At the end of the year, 10 of the first 12 transplants were still functioning, a rate better than the Region’s Designated Centre, and the first dedicated dialysis unit was established. Surgeons with an interest in transplantation were appointed, thus giving Roger an opportunity to turn his attention to breast disease.’

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Roger played a pivotal role in the introduction of the UK breast screening program and established a multidisciplinary approach to the early diagnosis and management of breast cancer. With the help of his pathology, radiology, radiotherapy, nursing, and oncology colleagues, and after following the progress of patients in detail over a number of years, he developed a simple Prognostic Index as an excellent guide to assist clinicians select the most appropriate treatment of the primary tumour. He supervised many research fellows, some from Australia, and conducted biennial two day conferences on all aspects of breast cancer and its management. The lecture theatre was always packed with clinicians from several different disciplines, many coming from overseas. Keen debate was guaranteed, with no punches pulled. Many returned. His reputation in this area grew rapidly and he received many invitations to speak at home and abroad, including back at St Vincent’s.

He was a regular guest speaker at our own special meetings on breast cancer. Along with occasional support from Paddy Boulter and Pat Forrest, he gave the meetings a special atmosphere of fun mixed with pearls of wisdom. The meetings proved very popular and always attracted a full house. He was invited to speak interstate and attracted a number of Australian trainees to his unit. Three came from St Vincent’s. He was a special Foundation Visitor to the Breast Section at Annual Scientific Meetings of the College of Surgeons on more than one occasion. In 1994 he was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He was very proud of his Australian connections and remained a great sponsor and friend of Australians in Britain.

Professor Hardcastle writes further: ‘It is difficult to overestimate the impact Roger’s work has had on the lives of women with breast cancer. The guidelines he helped produce for the management of breast cancer stimulated the development of multidisciplinary treatment and the emergence of the specialist breast surgeon. He was a leading force in the creation in 2010 of the Association of Breast Surgery, which is now the fastest growing sub-specialty in the UK, with more than 1,200 members. He was the leading force in the 2003 opening, at the City Hospital, of the Nottingham Breast Institute, which now provides for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of 35,000 breast

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cancer patients annually. The Education Centre at the Nottingham Breast Institute is appropriately named after him.’

His death, on 1st September 2014 after a long illness, came as a surprise to many. He always seemed too full of life, energy and new ideas to die. Glowing tributes were paid in obituaries appearing in the British Medical Journal, The Times, the Telegraph, the Guardian and local papers. The quotations used above were taken from the obituary written by Professor Hardcastle and published in the Guardian on 12 September 2014. His loss will be felt by many, including his Australian friends. To his wife Norma and the family we extend our most sincere condolences.

Contributed by Professor Richard Bennett in whose department at St Vincent’s Hospital Roger Blamey worked in 1970-72.

Dr Elizabeth Maree Christian MBBS, FACEM12/10/1967 - 24/12/2014

Dr Elizabeth Christian, daughter of farming parents, emergency physician, and mother, was a vivacious and generous woman. Her personal mantra, to ‘box on’ no matter what, was testament to how she lived her life.

Formerly of northeastern Victoria and Melbourne, my close friend and colleague, ‘Beth’ died on 24 December 2014 aged 47, at home in Tunbridge Wells, UK, seven years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Beth leaves her husband, Dr Andrew Hobart, a British emergency physician, and two daughters, Margaret, and Georgina.

At her memorial on 15 February her brother, Damian, described the ‘Essences of Beth’: her community mindedness, her ‘do-what-it-takes’ attitude, her love of action—plus or minus drama, her open spirituality, her love for shopping, and her saying, ‘If something doesn't work out, reload, reassess and try again.’

Beth’s medical career spanned 23 years in Australia, Ireland and the UK. A dedicated doctor, she was loved and respected by peers, colleagues and patients. However, her early life was largely unknown to her medical colleagues.

Beth was born in Echuca, the youngest of four children to Margaret and Tom Christian. Soon after Beth’s birth, Margaret was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which played a major role in the children’s lives. All four children were carers for Margaret, who sadly died in 1993.

Beth’s sister, Monica, remembered her as ‘much loved, cheeky and a little precocious.’ She loved the outdoors, spending most days helping Tom on the farm in Wharparilla district. She was accomplished in cattle work including rounding up, drenching, marking, sorting and

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pushing cattle onto trucks for market. Beth rode horses and motorbikes, and learned to drive ‘before her feet could reach the pedals’, anything from a ute to a tractor or truck. She could kill a snake with a shovel and crack a whip to boot. ‘She could stand her ground both in competence and sheer front with anybody. She called a spade a bloody spade and grew up expressing her views.’

Beth attended Wharparilla West and Kiewa Valley Consolidated primary schools. The family moved to Gundowring in 1973. She attended high school in Tallangatta only four days per week—the fifth day spent at the cattle market with Tom. Beth achieved high grades and subsequently studied Medicine at Monash University, moving to Melbourne and making many new friends.

Her medical career commenced at Box Hill Hospital in 1992. Her supervising consultants described her as ‘the best intern we’ve ever had.’

From 1995 Beth trained in emergency medicine under esteemed Dr Edward Brentnall. She worked at many hospitals including Royal Children’s, Royal Women’s, Gippsland Base, and St Vincent’s, in specialties including emergency, intensive care, anaesthesia, paediatrics, and women’s health. She worked many years in forensic medicine for Coronial Services, and Adult Retrieval, transporting critically ill patients from regional Victoria.

Beth worked at St Vincent’s from 1999-2001. She completed her Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine in April 2001. She cared deeply for her patients; everyone was ‘Darlin’ and she treated them generously and without bias. She always wore an infectious smile, complete with her trademark scarlet lipstick. Colleagues described Beth as ‘spunkiness personified’, ‘an incredibly brave woman’, ‘a wonderful role model, strong, talented and confident.’ Above all she was a woman ‘who obviously loved life so much.’

In October 2001, she embarked on a secondment to St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. During this time she met her husband, Andrew Hobart. They were married in September 2002 in Northern Ireland and went on to have Margaret in 2004, and Georgina in 2008.

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In the interim, she worked with the London Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, a much sought-after post, involving flying over London to be first on the scene at road traumas. She was never one to shirk such action. In March 2003 Beth became an emergency consultant at Kings College Hospital in South London.

Beth and Andrew moved to Melbourne briefly, working at the new Casey Hospital, and subsequently Monash Medical Centre. In 2007 they relocated back to London and Beth began working at St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster where she remained.

In her last few years she was rewarded with professional success and recognition. She was invited to speak at emergency medicine conferences, launched an alcohol care team at St Thomas’ for harmful and dependent drinkers, and was appointed honorary lecturer in medicine. Beth loved teaching, and many consultants were inspired and taught by her.

Beth never allowed her disease to define her. She refused to ‘battle with’ or ‘fight’ her cancer. She said she would live with whatever she was given and travel her own path in her own style. She continued working, immaculately dressed and made-up, and cruised London in her convertible. Beth brought her daughters to Australia a few times, despite her deteriorating health, to strengthen their family ties. She maintained many close and loyal friendships across the world.

Tragically, Beth’s brother, Gerard, died in a road accident in 2007. Beth loved Gerard deeply and wore his watch every day after his death. They shared a special bond; their family hope now he has his loving arms wrapped firmly around her.

Most recently, Beth developed a vision and created the beautiful country home named Robin Hatch in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. This will remain her legacy and sanctuary for Andrew, Margaret and Georgina.

Dr Venita Munir is a Melbourne writer and emergency physician, and graciously acknowledges the contributions of Andrew Hobart, Monica Edgar and Damian Christian.

Congratulations to Professor Helen HerrmanThe Alumni Association wishes to congratulate Professor Helen Herrman (pictured below) on her election as the next President of the World Psychiatric Association. Professor Herrman was head of the Department of Psychiatry at St Vincent’s Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry at Melbourne University from 1992 to 2005. This was the time that the old separate psychiatric public hospitals like Royal Park were being closed and psychiatry was being moved back into the general hospitals.

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The World Psychiatric Association was founded in 1950 and now brings together 135 national psychiatric associations from. It represents approximately 200,000 psychiatrists. In its first 65 years it has only had 16 presidents so Professor Herrman will be the 17th and the first woman president in three decades as well as being the first president (man or woman) from the Asia/Pacific region.

Professor Herrman is currently Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Research at the Orygen Youth Health Research Centre and Centre for Youth Mental Health at Melbourne University.

News from the Archives DepartmentThe Bryan Egan Memorial History Prize is an annual award sponsored by the Egan Family and the St Vincent’s Medical Alumni Association which honours the work of Dr Bryan Egan, St Vincent’s alumnus, historian and author of the 1993 history of St Vincent’s Hospital “Ways of a Hospital St Vincent’s Melbourne 1890s -1990s”.

The award encourages original work giving insight into an aspect of St Vincent’s history, adding to the richness of source material available to the St Vincent’s Archives and Heritage Centre.

Entries for the 2014 prize were assessed by a judging panel comprising Dr Egan’s daughter Frances Bell, historian Mary Sheehan and hospital archivist Barbara Cytowicz.

This year’s Bryan Egan Memorial History Prize of $1000 was shared between the authors of two outstanding works; ‘Microsurgery at St Vincent’s Hospital in 1974’ by Philip Sykes OBE and ‘The Studio – The History of St Vincent’s Artist in Residence Program’ by Anneliese Milk.

It is anticipated that these stories will be made accessible on the Hospital web site but until then alumni are welcome to read them when they visit the Archives and Heritage Centre. To make an appointment to inspect the permanent collection on display in the Aikenhead Centre, please telephone Barbara Cytowicz on 9231 3040 (Wed-Fri).

News from St Vincent’s HospitalIn past editions, we have arbitrarily extracted some news items from the St Vincent’s Hospital monthly newsletter known as the Font and the St Vincent’s Foundation newsletter, known as The Pulse.

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Please note that these two newsletters have now merged. To give the reader complete access to this news source, the hospital has provided the following link:

http://www.svhm.org.au/aboutus/newspublications/pages/theFont.aspx.

Just click on the link and you will be taken to recent issues of The Font.

Post scriptIf you have read this far it is likely that you enjoyed this issue. Did you know we have over a thousand alumni on our books for who we do not have email addresses? Some of these people might be your colleagues. Please do us a favour by passing this newsletter on to friends or at least alerting friends to the opportunity to register with the Association on our web site at http://stvincentsmedicalalumni.org.au/ and tell them that all this is free!

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