Stephen Thomas (or 'Steve' as he was known to his friends) was a consultant ENT surgeon at Leicester Royal Infirmary. He was born in Cardiff on 12 July 1940 to Hector Thomas, a consultant otolayrngologist at Cardiff Royal Infirmary, and Enid Thomas, a Welsh hockey international. He attended Radley College, where he distinguished himself academically and excelled as a sportsman, playing in the rugby, cricket, squash, golf and hockey first teams. He captained the hockey team in 1958. After Radley, he went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he read natural sciences. In 1961, he commenced his clinical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital, where subsequently he held preregistration house appointments. Steve opted to follow his father into a career as an ear, nose and throat surgeon. He began his higher surgical training as an ENT registrar at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Grays Inn Road, London. There he worked for a range of surgeons with varying sub-specialty interests. His senior registrar training was at St Bartholomew's Hospital. At that time, the appointment involved general and sub-specialty ENT surgery at Bart's and attachments to the Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham Road and to the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square. These attachments provided considerable higher surgical and medical training in head and neck surgical oncology and neuro-otology respectively. During his senior registrar training he spent a year as a senior ENT resident at Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada. In 1975, he was appointed as a consultant ENT surgeon at Leicester Royal Infirmary. Ultimately, he became clinical director for surgery at the Infirmary. He was an examiner in ENT surgery for the University of Leicester and also examiner for the FRCS (otolaryngology) at the Royal College of Surgeons. With that role, he was also a member of the working party on the 'new style' MRCS examination. He examined for the College both at home and abroad. Steve supported international ENT training by virtue of his appointment at St George's University, Grenada between 1999 and 2011 as both a tutor and examiner. This included becoming chair of surgery at St George's in 2004. At home in Leicester, he served on both district and regional ENT committees. He was a member of the Visiting Association of Throat and Ear Surgeons of Great Britain, becoming honorary secretary for eight years. The Association carried out annual visits to ENT departments in the United Kingdom and abroad, fostering a network of inter-departmental contacts which assisted teaching and training for trainees. In addition to his clinical and teaching roles, Steve gave particular interest and support to the Leicestershire Hospice LOROS. He served as a member of the board and later became chairman, serving from 2005 to 2010. Like his mother, Steve was also an international hockey player. During his early training, he achieved 14 caps for Wales. His sporting expertise led to his appointment as an honorary medical officer to the Great Britain men's hockey team between 1978 and 1987. Subsequently, he was appointed as an honorary ENT specialist to the British Olympic Association, attending the Olympics in Los Angeles, Seoul and Barcelona. In 1967 Steve married Sally Cousins, a Bart's nurse. They had a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Katie. Between them there are now five granddaughters. As a colleague and friend, Steve ranked in the highest echelon for solidarity, support, generosity, charm and good humour. He was a joy to be with and was a formidable opponent at any particular sport in which he chose to be involved. Tragically his last years were blighted by progressive supranuclear palsy. This malign condition he withstood with typical resolve and fortitude. Stephen Hume died on 8 July 2016. He was 75.