the most important word in medicine

“What’s a Festschrift?” my youngest asks. “In German it means ‘celebration writing’,” I say, “I’m going to an academic conference to honour a doctor.” The notion of voluntary learning prompts an eye roll from his teenage sister: “Can’t say I relate.” An eminent surgeon is retiring after 50 years of public service. All too often we allow such contributors to fade away without notice, so the acknowledgment arranged by one of his colleagues is noteworthy. Australia’s new national cancer plan is brimming with good ideas – here are my top three picks How to celebrate a man whose career spans half a century, hundreds of publications, seminal textbooks, an eponymous operation, military deployment, developing world aid, international renown, prolific musicality, teaching, training and mentoring? In the same way you eat an elephant: piece by piece.