RCSI bestowed its highest award of Honorary Fellowship on two world-renowned surgeons at the annual Millin Meeting, which took place at the College on Friday, 9 November 2007.

Professor Laureano Fernández-Cruz from Barcelona and Professor John Wong from Hong Kong were awarded for the outstanding contributions they have made in their field.

Giving the citation for Professor Cruz, RCSI Council member Tom Gorey said: “The attributes of an ideal Professor and Chairman are said to combine an ability to communicate, to be an able administrator, a competent operator and a prolific writer. These abilities are rarely found in equal measure in a single person. Laureano communicates with conviction and enthusiasm, is an effective consensus administrator and he is a consummate surgeon. He has made a significant contribution to literature with books on Transplantation, the Pancreas and Intestinal Circulation and has over 200 publications in premier journals.”

Reading his citation for Professor Wong, Council member Parnell Keeling said: “Over the course of his professional life Professor Wong has been responsible for a number of acclaimed medical breakthroughs including the development of new techniques in oesophageal cancer surgery that led to a reduction in the operation’s mortality, even amongst high-risk patients. His research interests also include the development of new drugs, new treatment strategies and molecular differences between Asian and Caucasian cancers."

First held in 1979, the annual Millin lectures were held at RCSI as an appropriate tribute to the internationally acclaimed surgeon and former RCSI President Mr Terence John Millin. Such was his success at building and expanding the College, that he was persuaded to stay on for another year in office when he had completed the customary two years.

The 30th Millin lecture entitled ‘Surgical Wilderness to Clinical Utility’ was delivered by Mr Malcolm Kell, breast cancer specialist in the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Other speakers at the day's event included Professor Arnold Hill, RCSI Professor of Surgery and Professor Michael Kerin, RCSI Council member. Topics included Breast Oncology, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Oncology; New Horizons in Hepatobiliary Surgery and Recent Advances.