John Hayward was a pioneer, specialising in breast surgery before this was a recognised discipline. He was as much a scientist as a surgeon, bringing rigour to the investigation of the causes and treatment of breast cancer. The son of an architect, he was born on 26 April 1923 in Westcliff-on-Sea, E

Andrew Gaston Jessiman was a surgeon and hospital administrator at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston. He was also assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Born in London on 13 January 1949, he was the son of George Gaston Jessiman, a stockbroker on the London Stock Exchange, a

Anthony Wynn Michael Carton Owen was a consultant surgeon at Wharfedale General Hospital, Otley. He was born on 8 April 1943 in Pinner, Middlesex, the first of seven children born to Annie and William Owen. His parents met and married in London. His mother, then Annie Daly, a Westmeath lady from Gar

Ann Elizabeth Johnson studied medicine at London University and graduated MB, BS in 1965. She passed the fellowship of the college in 1960. In 1965 she obtained the diploma in medical radiology technology from University College Hospital Medical School and, ten years later, became a fellow of the R

Robert Pope Melville was a consultant general and breast surgeon in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was born at Wollongong, New South Wales on 23 May 1913. One of five children, his father, Hector Pope Melville, a school principal and advocate for education, encouraged his sons and daughters

Michael Chare was a consultant surgeon at Neath, Baglan, Morriston and Singleton hospitals. He was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, the second son of Ernest John Bruton, an engineer, and Marjorie Bruton née Briars. He was educated at Warwick School, where he boarded from the age of seven and wa

Samie Bashir Safar was a professor of surgery at the University of Baghdad. He was born in Mosul, Iraq, on 2 February 1943, the son of Bashir Safar, a pharmacist, and Sabria Safar née Al-Aswad. He studied medicine at Mosul Medical School, which at that time was part of Baghdad University, and qualif

Peter Dudley Blaxland was a general surgeon in Sydney, Australia and a distinguished sportsman. He was born in Broke, a small village in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales on 15 December 1920, the son of Arthur Dudley Blaxland, a grazier, and Beryl Blaxland née Moses. He was a direct descendent of J

Sir Patrick McEwen Forrest was regius professor of clinical surgery at the University of Edinburgh. Pat, as he was known to all, was a giant of British and international surgery, and his contributions to the management of breast cancer were immense. He was born in Lanarkshire, the son of Andrew

Gábor Péley was a consultant breast surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. He was born on 24 March 1961 in Hungary, and studied medicine at Szegad before completing his training in Budapest. He worked in the department of surgical oncology in Budapest, where he helped pioneer the

Adele Francis was a breast cancer surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. She was born in Solihull on 19 March 1957. Her father ran a printing business in Birmingham. She spent much of her childhood in Solihull, growing up with her sister Lorna, with the family moving out to Lapworth, W

John Shennan was a consultant general surgeon for Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust. He was born in West Kirby on the Wirral on 28 July 1939, the son of William Millward Shennan, an architect from a family of architects who designed many of Liverpool's iconic buildings, and Pamela Mary Shennan née White, w