A HOSPITAL charity has pledged to raise cash towards a scanner in memory of a Churchill Hospital medic who died aged 36.

Urology Cancer Research and Education (UCARE) wants to raise £30,000 for an ultrasound scanner to remember urological surgeon Nilay Patel.

The father-of-two died of viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, on May 13 last year at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Charity executive officer Val Berry said: “Nilay had already proved himself to be a truly outstanding individual, a gifted surgeon and talented doctor who touched everyone he came into contact with.

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“He had great technical surgical skills as well as a fantastic ability to communicate with patients and colleagues alike.”

Mr Patel was trained at Cambridge University and came to Oxford in 2001 as a junior doctor.

A consultant for two years, he was part of a three-man team that performed complex renal surgery for conditions like kidney cancer.

His work included removing a cancerous kidney, cooling it so it could stay out longer, removing the tumour and returning it with the help of the scanner.

Mrs Berry said: “We feel it is vital that the surgeons have access to this equipment at all times, and the new scanner will be part of a lasting legacy to remember a truly incredible man.”

Consultant urological surgeon David Cranston said an ultrasound scanner currently was moved from another department when needed, leading to delays that could damage the kidney.

Prof Cranston, who worked with Mr Patel and Mark Sullivan in the team, said: “If we had our own machine we could see people straight away and not have to wait for a couple of hours.”

He said of his former colleague: “He was a lovely guy. He was full of fun, he talked to everybody the same, it didn’t matter whether you were a cleaner on the ward or professor of surgery.

“The sort of person he was, he won an award for a thesis about 10 years ago and got given some money.

“He went out that evening and had a party for all his friends and spent most of the money.”

To support the charity, based at the Churchill, contact ucare@ucare-oxford.org.uk or call 01865 767777.

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