ANZCA Bulletin June 2011 - Australian and New Zealand College of ...

Obituary
Dr Geoffrey Lewis Perkins
1954 – 2010
Geoffrey Lewis Perkins was for many
years an anaesthetist at Gold Coast
Hospital.
Geoff was born in Nambour,
Queensland on July 6, 1954. He was
educated at schools in south-east
Queensland and attended the University
of Queensland where he completed the
medical course in December 1977.
After graduating, he worked in
Bundaberg, Brisbane, Bamaga and QE2
hospitals before marrying Wendy at
the age of 24. In a busy 1982, he worked
in Roma with the Royal Flying Doctor
Service, took time off to study for and
pass the anaesthetic primary exam,
started on the South Brisbane training
scheme, worked for the first time at
the Gold Coast Hospital and his first
daughter Kate was born. In 1986 he
completed his training in anaesthesia
and another daughter Zoe was born.
His first years as a consultant were
spent at Toowoomba Base Hospital
and then Kirwan Hospital. He had a
fulltime consultant position at Gold
Coast Hospital from 1989 until his
death. While here, he established and
coordinated the acute pain service from
1989 until 2000, the first chronic pain
service from 1989 to 1996, and was the
director of the Day Surgery Unit from
1991 to 1997. He was the department’s
clinical indicators coordinator
from 2004.
In 2000, Geoff took study leave
and was an assistant professor at
the McGill University in Montreal,
Canada. He subsequently completed
the North American National Board of
Echocardiography Diploma in 2002.
In 2007 he completed a masters
of bioethics from Monash University.
His particular topic area was “medical
maleficence in the treatment of
‘enemy combatants’ during the Bush
administration’s War on Terror”.
Geoff had an eclectic set of interests
outside of work. He read widely, and his
interests included ethics, Buddhism,
skiing, gardening, bushwalking,
kayaking, camping, boating and taking
his granddaughters rock climbing.
In 2007, he developed a passion for
motorbike riding.
Geoff sponsored a World Vision Child
for many years, and donated each year
to a hospital in India. Between 1994 and
1998 he visited the Philippines several
times with “Operation Hope”, providing
anaesthesia for cleft palate surgery.
Geoff was a quiet and very private
person. He had a few friends with whom
he was close. In comments he wrote
for his 2002 medical school reunion
profile, Geoff wrote: “... my ambition
is to survive until retirement. Now I’m
just looking at cutting back on work and
doing more enjoyable pastimes”.
Sadly, Geoff committed suicide on
December 31, 2010. He is survived by
his partner, Jane, daughters, Kate, Zoe
and Briony, and grandchildren Grace,
Taneisha and Chasely.
Dr Kerry Brandis
If you are concerned about yourself or a colleague,
contact the Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Hotline
nearest to you.
Australia:
New South Wales/Northern Territory +61 2 9437 6552
Australian Capital Territory +61 407 265 414
Queensland +61 7 3833 4352
Victoria +61 3 9495 6011
Western Australia +61 8 9321 3098
Tasmania 1300 853 338
South Australia +61 8 8273 4111
New Zealand: 0800 471 2654
Information about the Welfare of Anaesthetists
Special Interest Group can be found at: www.anzca.edu.au
ANZCA Bulletin June 2011 105