A retired oncologist from the remote Highlands village of Achiltibuie has been honoured for more than two decades treating patients with one of Britain’s rarest cancers.
Dr Jeff White, 56, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Sarcoma UK at a ceremony at Tower Bridge in London last Wednesday, recognising his work with patients suffering from sarcoma – a cancer so rare it accounts for less than 1% of all diagnoses.
The former lead clinician for the Scottish Sarcoma Network spent over 20 years as a medical oncologist at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, where he treated many of cases of the disease that other medical professionals may never encounter.
Late diagnosis was a common and troubling feature among the sarcoma patients Dr White treated throughout his career. ‘The problem of delayed diagnosis remains a particular issue among young people with sarcoma, as it is often assumed that teenagers and young adults are not likely to have a cancer diagnosis,’ he explained earlier this year.
‘While these delays are a genuine cause for concern, we had to focus on how to manage things going forward – whether the patient needed surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy – rather than looking back.’
Dr White has continued his advocacy work in retirement, taking part in numerous fundraisers including marathons and, in September, the Tour de 4 cycling event around Glasgow organised by Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, who is himself battling stage 4 prostate cancer. The 56-year-old cycled a 37-mile route north of Glasgow to raise funds for Sarcoma UK.
Receiving the award from Richard Davidson, Chief Executive of Sarcoma UK, Dr White paid tribute to the charity’s growth and impact: ‘I am a passionate believer that the work we do in the NHS is massively enhanced by our engagement with third sector organisations such as Sarcoma UK and other charities. It’s been a privilege to see Sarcoma UK develop from the idea of Sheelagh and Roger Wilson to an organisation of over 40 staff providing support and becoming a major funder for research into this dreadful disease.’
Reflecting on his marathon-running fundraising efforts, he added: ‘The endurance required to complete a marathon pales into insignificance when compared to that required to be treated as a sarcoma patient.’
Sarcoma UK’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, Kerry Reeves-Kneip, said: ‘Dr White is one of those sarcoma specialists who have gone above and beyond for his patients. His lifetime achievement goes far beyond his clinical excellence. His dedication to sarcoma patients continued into retirement through remarkable fundraising efforts, including cycling with Sir Chris Hoy this September. He represents the very best of what it means to be a true advocate for rare cancer patients, and we are privileged to honour his extraordinary contribution to our community.’
