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A RETIRED Eastbourne consultant who helped pioneer modern kidney stone treatment and has dedicated decades to training doctors around the world has received another major honour.
Graham Watson has been awarded the St Peter’s Medal, one of the highest honours presented by the British Association of Urological Surgeons, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of urology.
The latest accolade comes just weeks before Dr Watson travels to Windsor Castle to formally receive the OBE he was awarded in the New Year Honours.
Dr Watson spent many years as a Consultant Urologist at Eastbourne District General Hospital, where he became widely respected for both his clinical work and his commitment to training future generations of healthcare professionals.
His career has been marked by numerous achievements and awards. In 2023, he received the prestigious Albert Schweitzer International Teaching Award in recognition of his work training doctors in hospitals across the developing world.
As well as educating medical professionals, Dr Watson played a key role in the development of some of the first laser machines used to treat kidney stones. The technology helped pave the way for the minimally invasive procedures that are now routinely used in hospitals around the world.
In 2002, Dr Watson and fellow founder Bob Lewis established the Medi Tech Trust with the initial aim of raising funds for a laser machine at Eastbourne District General Hospital.
Over the past two decades, the charity has grown into an international humanitarian organisation supporting health improvement projects in both the UK and low-income countries.
Through the charity, Dr Watson travelled extensively across Africa and Asia, teaching specialist kidney stone procedures and sharing his expertise with healthcare teams in countries where access to advanced training is often limited.
After being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2022, Dr Watson was forced to stop operating. However, he has continued his commitment to medical education by delivering training remotely via the internet, while remaining actively involved with both teaching and the work of the charity.
Despite the challenges of his illness, Dr Watson continues to support the next generation of medical professionals and remains an inspiration to colleagues, students and patients alike.
His latest award is further recognition of a remarkable career that has had a lasting impact on healthcare both locally and internationally.
