Obituary: Professor Ian Burn
BASO Council is saddened to announce that Professor Ian
Burn passed away on 3rd April 2024. He was one of the founding
members of BASO and a former President of BASO (1981-1983),
President of ESSO from (1986-1989) and the inaugural President of
the World Federation of Surgical Oncology Societies (1992-95). His
contributions to BASO and the field of cancer surgery were
invaluable.
Born in 1927 in London, Ian completed his medical education at
St Bartholomew's Medical College from 1944 to 1950, affiliated with
London University. He commenced his professional journey as a
Surgical Specialist in the RAF Medical Service from 1952 to 1954,
followed by a tenure at the Anatomy Department of the University of
Cambridge from 1954 to 1955. Subsequently, he held positions as a
Consultant in General Surgery at Hammersmith Hospital from 1965 to
1972, and as a Consultant Surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital from
1973 to 1987. Throughout his career, his focus gradually shifted
towards oncology, particularly specializing in breast cancer
screening and treatment. Ian concluded his professional endeavours
as the Medical Director of King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst
from 1994 to 1995.
Reluctantly retiring from the clinical work at the age of 70,
Ian followed another of his interests, enrolling on a distant
learning Opera Degree Course culminating in his Bachelor of Art
Degree in 2001.
Apart from numerous intellectual interests, Ian was a sportsman.
He enjoyed his athletics, rugby and cricket competitively, and
swam, sailed and skied for leisure. In later years, he turned to
croquet for exercise, still with his competitive streak.
His publications include nine books, notably Systematic Surgery,
1965; Journey of a Cancer Surgeon (memoirs), 2007.
As a medical student, Ian met Fiona M. Allan, a nurse at Bart's.
They married in 1951 and were blessed with four children. Their
bond lasted for 72 joyful years until Fiona passed away last
year.
Ian was a long life, multifaceted and lived to the full. Our
thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. We are
also grateful to Mike Payne, a close friend of Ian, for providing
us with valuable insights into Ian's life.