Southampton pioneering life-saving cancer surgeon retires

Neil Pearce gave up surgery in 2014 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

A cancer surgeon credited with saving thousands of lives through pioneering surgery has retired from the NHS.

Neil Pearce was a liver and pancreatic consultant surgeon at University Hospital Southampton before his career was curtailed by multiple sclerosis.

For the last decade, he has been associate medical director for patient safety at the trust.

He also co-founded Planets, a charity which has raised £2m for treatment, patient support and research.

Scores of people attended a farewell reception at the hospital on Tuesday.

Mr Pearce said: "It was really humbling. I wasn't really expecting people to go to the effort to find my old colleagues. It's been quite emotional but I was very good, I didn't cry."

Layla Stephen is among those whose lives have been saved by Neil Pearce

Among the attendees was Planets CEO Layla Stephen who, in 2008, was successfully treated by Mr Pearce after being diagnosed with incurable neuroendocrine tumours.

She said: "He's the surgeon who always went the extra mile. Everything he did broke the mould, there were no boundaries."

Mr Pearce said working with cancer patients had helped put his own illness into perspective.

He said: "I've got so much to be grateful for. My life is going to be shorter than I would have liked but I'm still enjoying life to the full."

Mr Pearce first arrived at Southampton hospital as a medical student in 1985 and was a consultant surgeon there for 11 years from 2003.

He said: "Every corner I turn, there is somebody I know. I genuinely feel like I've got friends everywhere I go."

He will continue to help the hospital through Planets, which was set up in 2011.

He added: "Our intention is to raise another £3m over the next decade so we can put the icing on the cake for the NHS and continue delivering innovative treatments."

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