Lifetime award for 'outstanding' Sunderland surgeon who has helped transform thyroid cancer care

A leading surgeon has been honoured for decades of work supporting thyroid cancer patients - and reflected on how care has been transformed over the last four decades.

Frank Stafford has been a leading medic in the field since the late 1980s and has developed specialist treatment services at both Sunderland Royal and then around the country. He has now been given a special lifetime achievement award by the Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust (BTCT) charity - which he has played an instrumental role in over the years.

The charity was set up by one of his own patients, and Frank remains a trustee. The charity, which started in our region and is still led by founder Kate Farnell, who was also made an MBE, is now active nationwide and is the only organisation of its kind. Frank told ChronicleLive how it was lovely to be honoured, as well as how it had been important to him to support its work over the years.

He reflected on the charity's birth and said: "We found a lot of patients benefitted from meeting other patients. In thyroid cancer this can be particularly the case - as most patients tend to be younger women. I felt it could be quite hard for them to relate to an often older, male surgeon [at the time].

"As it happened, Kate had been a patient of mine and had nursing qualifications and we had been discussing with her supporting another patient.

"There was a young patient who I knew needed some support. And from then Kate took on the mantle and developed what has become a nationally recognised organisation. Kate has really made it her lifetime's work and it has been incredibly successful. It was something that just didn't exist before."

The BTCT supports patients around the country throughout their cancer journeys - including through peer support, especially-designed hospital facilities for patients when they are undergoing radiation treatments and even a holiday lodge to provide respite.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust surgeon Frank spoke of how working to ensure thyroid cancer handled by specialists has been one of his key goals throughout his career. He said: "One of my missions has always been to get cancer treatment in my areas - head and neck, thyroid - into specialised units with specialised surgeons and specialised multi-disciplinary teams. That's been in order to best and most carefully guide patients through the most difficult times.

"And in general [nowadays] our cure rates are so much better than they used to be. What we aim to do as much as possible is make it so patients can have the least invasive treatment. We want patients to be cured without having to have quite such a invasive treatment."

On the award itself Frank, who has previously worked developing specialist thyroid services around the region, country and abroad, added simply he had been "humbled" and praised the charity. He added: "It's always nice to be recognised for what you do."

Kate added a tribute to Frank, saying: "A lump developed on the side of my neck overnight. When I was sent for an ultrasound, it took ages on the left-hand side and being a nurse, when I heard it was a tumour, I thought ‘Oh my God’.

“I was referred to Frank as my consultant and he explained I was in the right age group for this cancer and he was right. Frank has been a constant for the last 25 years. That is quite rare in itself and for a medic to dedicate themselves to something like for that time is to be commended. He has helped in so many ways."

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