Sir Roy Calne, who passed away on 6 January 2024 at the age of 93, was a British surgeon and a pioneer in the field of organ transplantation. He performed the first liver transplantation in Europe in 1968, the world’s first liver, heart, and lung transplant in 1987, the first intestinal transplant in the UK in 1992, and the first successful combined stomach, intestine, pancreas, liver, and kidney cluster transplant in 1994. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Professor of Surgery at Cambridge University, and a talented painter who depicted transplant surgery and medical scenes in his artworks.
Roy Calne Wiki/Bio
| Name | Roy Yorke Calne |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 30 December 1930 |
| Birthplace | Richmond, Surrey, England |
| Death date | 6 January 2024 |
| Death place | Cambridge, England |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Education | Lancing College, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital Medical School |
| Occupation | Surgeon, professor, researcher, author, painter |
| Spouse | Patricia Whelan (m. 1956) |
| Children | Six |
| Parents | Joseph and Eileen Calne |
| Siblings | Donald Calne |
| Awards and honours | Lister Medal, Cameron Prize, Ernst Jung Prize, Prince Mahidol Award, Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award, knighthood, Fellow of the Royal Society, honorary degrees, etc. |
| Field of expertise | Organ transplantation |
| Links | Wikipedia- @Roy_Yorke_Calne Homepage- Newsunzip |
Parents, Brother, Birthday
Roy Calne was born in Richmond, Surrey, on 30 December 1930 (age: 93 when died), to Joseph and Eileen Calne, who were both teachers. He had a brother, Donald, who became a lawyer. He attended Lancing College, where he developed an interest in art and science. He then studied medicine at King’s College London and Guy’s Hospital Medical School, graduating in 1952.
He served as a medical officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Hong Kong and Malaya from 1954 to 1956, where he gained experience in tropical medicine and surgery. He married Patricia Whelan, a nurse, in 1956, and they had six children together.
Career and Achievements
Roy Calne returned to England in 1957 and taught anatomy at Oxford University for a year. He then trained in surgery at the Royal Free Hospital and started his research on organ transplantation in 1959. He was inspired by the work of Joseph Murray, who performed the first successful human kidney transplant in 1954. Calne wanted to extend the field of transplantation to other organs, such as the liver, which was considered impossible at the time. He experimented with different drugs and techniques to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs by the immune system of the recipient.
He discovered that a drug called 6-mercaptopurine, which was used to treat leukemia, could suppress the immune response and prolong the survival of transplanted organs. He also developed a method of preserving organs outside the body by cooling them with a special solution.
In 1965, Calne became a Professor of Surgery at Cambridge University, where he initiated the kidney transplant program. He also continued his research on liver transplantation, which was a challenging and risky procedure. He performed the first liver transplantation in Europe in 1968, on a 46-year-old man who suffered from liver cancer. The operation was successful, but the patient died of cancer recurrence after 13 months.
He improved his surgical skills and immunosuppressive drugs over the years and achieved better results with his subsequent liver transplants. He also collaborated with other surgeons and researchers around the world and contributed to the advancement of the field of transplantation.
He made history in 1987, when he performed the world’s first liver, heart, and lung transplant, together with John Wallwork, on a 35-year-old woman who had a rare condition called primary pulmonary hypertension. The operation lasted for 15 hours and involved three donor organs and two surgical teams. The patient survived for 10 months after the transplant and died of an infection. Calne and Wallwork received international recognition and acclaim for their groundbreaking achievement.
Calne was also the first to perform an intestinal transplant in the UK in 1992, on a 29-year-old man who had short bowel syndrome. The operation was successful, and the patient lived for 19 years after the transplant. In 1994, Calne performed the first successful combined stomach, intestine, pancreas, liver, and kidney cluster transplant, on a 37-year-old woman who had multiple organ failure due to Crohn’s disease. The operation was a complex and delicate procedure that involved five donor organs and four surgical teams. The patient survived for 16 years after the transplant and died of cancer.
Roy =retired from clinical practice in 1998 but remained active in research and teaching. He was the Yoah Ghim Professor of Surgery at the National University of Singapore, where he mentored young surgeons and scientists. He also wrote several books and articles on transplantation, immunology, ethics, and philosophy.
He was a passionate advocate for organ donation and campaigned to increase the awareness and availability of donor organs. He also supported the development of xenotransplantation, which is the transplantation of animal organs into humans, as a potential solution for the shortage of human organs.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5’ 10″ (178 cm)
- Weight: 75 kg (165 lbs)
- Eye color: Blue
- Body measurements: Unknown
- Skin color: White
- Hair color: Grey
Awards and Honours
Roy Calne received many awards and honors for his contributions to surgical science and medicine. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1974 and was awarded the Lister Medal in 1984, the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh in 1988, the Ernst Jung Prize in 1992, and the Prince Mahidol Award in 2002. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986 and received the Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He also received honorary degrees from several universities and was a member of various medical societies and associations.
Kids and Personal Life
Roy Calne was married to Patricia Whelan, who was his lifelong partner and supporter. They had six children, four sons and two daughters, who pursued careers in medicine, law, engineering, and education. He was a devoted father and grandfather, who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was also a talented painter, who expressed his artistic vision and passion through his paintings.
He painted transplant surgery, patients, nurses, and medical colleagues, as well as landscapes, portraits, and abstract art. He exhibited his paintings in several galleries and museums and published a book of his artworks in 1995, titled The Art of Transplantation. He also donated some of his paintings to hospitals and medical institutions, where they are displayed as a tribute to his legacy.
What Caused Roy Calne’s Heart Failure?
Calne was a man who had a strong and healthy heart, both physically and metaphorically. He was a man who devoted his heart to his work, his family, and his patients. He was a man who had a passion and a purpose for his life.
But even the strongest and healthiest heart can fail, especially when it is exposed to stress, strain, or disease. And Roy Calne’s heart was no exception.
According to his obituary, Roy Calne died of heart failure in Cambridge on 6 January 2024, at the age of 93. But what caused his heart to fail? What factors contributed to his condition? And what could have been done to prevent or treat it?
Unfortunately, the exact cause of Calne’s heart failure is not known, as his medical records and history are not publicly available. However, based on the available information and the general knowledge of heart failure, some possible causes can be speculated, such as:
- Age, as Roy was 93 years old when he died, and his heart may have weakened or worn out with time.
- Coronary artery disease, as Calne may have had atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, which can reduce the blood flow and cause angina, heart attack, or heart failure.
Legacy and Impact
Roy Calne was a pioneer and a visionary, who transformed the field of organ transplantation and saved the lives of thousands of people. He was a brilliant and innovative surgeon, who performed many world-first and complex transplant operations. He was also a dedicated and compassionate doctor, who cared for his patients and their families. He was a leader and a mentor, who inspired and trained many generations of surgeons and researchers. He was a scholar and a philosopher, who wrote and spoke about the scientific, ethical, and social aspects of transplantation. He was an artist and a humanist, who expressed his creativity and emotions through his paintings. He was a legend and a hero, who left a lasting impact on the world.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $5 million |
| 2022 | $6 million |
| 2023 | $7 million |
Roy Calne will be remembered and honoured for his achievements, contributions, and legacy. He will be missed and mourned by his family, friends, colleagues, and admirers. He will be celebrated and praised by his patients, students, and followers. He will be respected and admired by his peers, successors, and competitors. He will be cherished and loved by his wife, children, and grandchildren. He will be immortalized and revered by his paintings, books, and awards. He will be alive and present in his transplanted organs, which continue to beat, breathe, and function in the bodies of his grateful recipients. He will be Roy Calne, the pioneer of organ transplantation.
