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Richard Simcock: The Legacy of Prof Sir Ken Calman in Cancer Care and Compassion

National Library of Scotland/Facebook

Jul 26, 2025, 21:01

Richard Simcock: The Legacy of Prof Sir Ken Calman in Cancer Care and Compassion

Richard Simcock, Chief Medical Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, recently posted on LinkedIn:

“Prof Sir Ken Calman, who has died, had an extraordinarily impactful career. He was a giant figure.

Fellow and lecturer in surgery
Research fellow at the Chester Beatty Research Institute in London
Chair of clinical oncology and later dean of postgraduate medicine at The University of Glasgow
Chief medical officer for Scotland
Chief medical officer for England in 1991
UK representative at the World Health Organisation
Vice-chancellor and warden of Durham University
Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Trust for Scotland
Chair of the Board of National Library of Scotland
Author of 15 books (wow)

I know of him mainly for two things, his work on cancer care reform and his support and work for Macmillan Cancer Support. I became an Oncology trainee just a few years after the Calman-Hine reforms which brought in the era of truly multidisciplinary care that we now take for granted. Those reforms truly changed cancer care for the better (but I remember the grumbling at the time!)

He was also a strong supporter and advocate for Macmillan and I am grateful to Adrienne Betteley for finding this quote from him:

‘I have been connected with Macmillan for almost forty years. I have seen at first hand what can be achieved. My own involvement with Macmillan .. made me recognise just what a source of skill and expertise lies in patients and their families…this was one of the most powerful learning experiences of my professional career.’

On Macmillan he quoted his Clan Macmillan roots and the motto of the Clan “Miseris Succurerre Disco” – I learn to look after those in need.

He said:
‘It says it all: learning by doing, putting into practice the best ideas, and at the same time directing efforts to those in need; it summarises for me what Macmillan is all about and why it has been so successful in changing the lives of people with cancer for the better’. “

More posts featuring Richard Simcock.