OBITUARY

Dr Richard "Dick" C Burrows

It was with deep sadness on 4 October 2022 that we learnt of the passing of Dick Burrows, anaesthesiologist and intensivist, who for many years worked at Addington Hospital, Durban, and the Department of Anaesthetics, UKZN.

Dick completed his undergraduate training in Ireland, and after spending a year in Barbados, he moved to Grahamstown. After two years and with the birth of his eldest son, Dick deemed Grahamstown somewhat constrictive and moved into a registrar post in Durban. Dick's first consultant post was at King George V (now King Dinuzulu) Hospital, where he developed skills in thoracic anaesthesia and airway management. Thereafter, he moved into a post that opened in anaesthesia and critical care at Addington Hospital, where he worked with Neil Goodwin, the first full-time intensivist in South Africa (SA). Here, Dick developed his interest in end-of-life care, ethics and medico-legal issues. It was also here that we got to spend time with Dick as anaesthesia, and subsequently, critical care subspeciality trainees in the late 1990s.

Dick left Addington Hospital to move to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) when it opened in 2002 as Chief Specialist for Critical Care. He was also part of the UKZN Anaesthetic Departmental Management team between 2003 - 2006 and acted as Head at various periods. Dick left IALCH in 2007 and eventually ended his career as an anaesthesiologist in Galway, Southern Ireland. He returned to SA to spend his later years of retirement in Umdloti.

Dick was a good and loyal friend of CCSSA having served in many roles. He chaired numerous conference and refresher course organising committees. Many will remember the fascinating court room drama that he set up at the CCSSA conference held at the Playhouse in Durban in the late 1990s. He was actively involved in the training of anaesthesiologists and intensivists and acted as examiner and convenor for the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) FCA Part 1, 2 and Certificate in Critical Care examinations. Dick's service to the field of critical care culminated in his being presented with the CCSSA President's Award in 1999.

The archetypal Irishman, fiery and redheaded with a love for a Jameson's or Guinness, Dick was loved (and sometimes hated) for his forthright approach. He certainly called a spade a spade! This approach translated well (most of the time) into the clinical critical care domain where juniors sought guidance and often needed rescuing from surgical bullies. Those who got to know the real Dick would find an intelligent, well-read colleague with an insightful view of life.

Dick is survived by his children David, Robert, Nicky and Mark.

Farewell, Dick.

Prof. P Dean Gopalan

Dr R Eric Hodgson