Obituary: Professor Christopher Wastell
8 May 2012
Professor Christopher Wastell, who held a Chair of Surgery at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, died on 18 January 2012. Julia Anderson (Surgery and Cancer) shares her memories of her colleague:
“Professor Wastell was born on 13 October 1932. He qualified from Guy’s Hospital and was appointed to the Chair in Surgery at Westminster when the first Professor of Surgery at Westminster Medical School, Harold Ellis retired in 1989. He had already held a personal chair conferred by Westminster Medical School, since 1981.
Chris was an outstanding gastrointestinal surgeon. He built the Academic Surgical Unit at Chelsea and Westminster, securing charity and industrial funding to support it. He was an excellent teacher – to undergraduates and postgraduates – many Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS) students owed their subsequent careers to Chris.
Chris was proud of his alma mater but was very much a ‘Westminster man’, a great supporter of the hospital (both Westminster and subsequently Chelsea and Westminster), continuing after retirement in 1997. He remained a member of the committee of the 25-Year Club until his death.
He was avidly interested in sailing and supported the Student’s Sailing club for many years; in retirement he sailed the Atlantic and continued sailing after suffering a stroke from which he made a determined and remarkable recovery.
Chris was a keen gardener with a large garden and a beautiful lawn, the envy of many of his colleagues, and an allotment producing wonderful vegetables – flowers weren’t his thing but this was made up for by his wife, Margaret!
Chris continued to support the Royal College of Surgeons in retirement – he worked in the museum and provided support to junior surgeons having career difficulties.
He leaves his wife, Margaret and their three children – Giles, Jackie and Viv – and five grandchildren.
Share your memories of Chris below
Tags: Charing Cross Hospital, Obituary, Surgery and Cancer
Posted in College | 2 Comments »
2 Responses to “Obituary: Professor Christopher Wastell”
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Professor Iain Hutchison Barts and The London says:
I’ve only just discovered that Chris has died. Please pass on my condolences to his wife and family. Although I only worked for him for a short period, i regard him as one of the formative influences on my career not only for his surgical skill and courage, but also for his humanity and wisdom. He was a delight to work for because although he always challenged me to deliver more academically, he was solicitous and supportive. It was clear he was a contented man who led a full and happy life.
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Howard Broadbridge says:
Just like Professor Hutchison, I only just discovered that Chris had passed away. While working for London International, I organised a number of events in which Chris was involved and always found him engaging and keen to support causes that he believed in. I remember an especially enjoyable time we spent together at the opera in Sydney – I even gave him a few skiing lessons when we both attended a clinical meeting in Austria.
Chris was one of the most knowledgeable, courteous and likeable people I have ever met.
