Jack Mackay
John (Jack) Richard Mackay
16 August 1943 - 9 October 2016
Colorectal Surgeon
After graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1967, Professor Jack Mackay held training positions at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne and obtained a Fellowship in General Surgery in 1973. He was appointed as a visiting medical officer at Box Hill Hospital in 1976 and St Vincent's in 1977. He then completed sub-specialist training in colon and rectal surgery, including a Clinical Fellowship in 1979 at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, USA - one of the leading colorectal surgery units in the world. He subsequently became head of colorectal surgery at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Vincent's Hospital and Box Hill Hospital (Eastern Health). In 2005 he was appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne.
Over his career he made extraordinary contributions to the profession. He was instrumental in the formation of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand. Of particular note was his service to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons over two decades, as Chairman of Training Boards and Surgery Sections between 1994 and 2004. He created the Colorectal Training Program of the Society and the RACS Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery.
Professor Mackay had more than 45 years' experience in colorectal surgery and the treatment of lower intestinal disorders, including bowel cancer. His main research interests were Crohns disease, injuries to the spleen, management of ileostomy, chemo-radiation of colon cancers, and multiple injuries in trauma patients. He delivered hundreds of expert papers across Australia and in the UK on surgical procedures and treatments in his field, and published more than 40 scientific peer review papers.
He was instrumental in establishing Epworth Eastern in 2004 as a new, surgical hospital in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. He was appointed Medical Director of Epworth Eastern in 2005 and then later the Medical Director lead for surgical specialties across the Epworth Group -roles that continued until only very recently.
In 2014, Epworth honoured Professor Mackay's contribution by establishing a perpetual scholarship in his name at Epworth Eastern in the area of colorectal medicine. In 2016 an Epworth Research Institute grant was also established in his name, which he presented at the Epworth Research Week dinner on 12 July.
In June 2015 he was awarded membership in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to medicine, clinical governance and professional organisations.
Leadership in medical education was one of his great strengths. Countless numbers of students, interns, registrars and fellows have benefitted from his teaching, guidance and role modelling over the years.
Professor Mackay was also well known for delivering compassionate and excellent care. He was known by Epworth staff for giving his mobile phone number to patients, assuring them that they were welcome to call him at any time if they were in pain or anxious in the days that followed their surgery.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer, daughters Sarah and Anna, sons Sean and Dan and their partners and his grandchildren.
Obituary provided by Professor John Catford