ANAESTHETIST AWARDED
A British Anaesthetist who has volunteered in Africa more than 20 times in the last 18 years has received a top honour from The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland.
The ‘Pask Certificate’ has been awarded to Scottish-born Doctor Keith Thomson, a consultant anaesthetist at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust, in recognition of his volunteer work with Mercy Ships.
The prestigious Association of Anaesthetists award is named after Professor E A Pask, a remarkable anaesthetist who, amongst other things, saved the lives of many unconscious airmen during World War II by volunteering himself to be repeatedly anaesthetised and thrown into a swimming pool to develop better lifejackets for the RAF.
Speaking about the award, Dr Thomson said, “I am truly honoured to receive this award, especially as it has been given to me by my peers. The charity Mercy Ships has been in my blood since the first time I volunteered for one of their ships in 1991 and I honestly believe it’s the best medical charity anyone could support.
“Working on board as part of an international team of volunteer medics is hugely exciting but the most rewarding aspect is seeing the patients after surgery and realising that their lives have literally changed overnight. Their surgeries aren’t just operations – they give them back the hope and a chance to lead a normal life. Often our patients are outcasts in their communities because of their physical deformities but after surgery they are once again accepted into their families.
“My experiences with Mercy Ships have been the most rewarding of my life and I would encourage everyone who is considering volunteering to look at Mercy Ships.”
Judy Polkinhorn, Executive Director of Mercy Ships UK, said, “I would like to congratulate Keith on behalf of everyone at Mercy Ships and on behalf of the thousands of patients he has helped treat over the years. Keith is a truly remarkable man whose enthusiasm for Mercy Ships, his fellow volunteers and most importantly the patients, has never wavered over the years.
“His work on board is so highly thought of by the rest of the medical volunteers that there are surgeons who phone up to check when Keith will be there as they want to work alongside him in the operating theatre.
“Without the dedication and hard work of volunteers like Keith, Mercy Ships simply couldn’t help the people of Africa and we are eternally grateful for their commitment and support.”
Dr Keith Thomson is an international board member and Vice-Chairman of Mercy Ships UK. He is married with two children and has been an anaesthetist for 30 years. He lives in Ascot in Berkshire but is originally from Dundee.