EAU mourns passing of Prof. John Fitzpatrick

The European Association of Urology (EAU) and urological leaders around the world mourned the passing on May 14 of Prof. John Michael Fitzpatrick, 65, due to sudden illness. "It is with our deepest sympathy for the family of John that we learned of this sad news. We are indebted to his unequalled professional achievements and remember his warm friendship and genuine character," said the EAU executive members.

Fitzpatrick, born in July 15, 1948, was one of European urology’s most accomplished opinion leaders and highly respected by his peers in and outside Europe. He earned his medical degree with honours from the University College Dublin in 1971, and embarked on a 44-year brilliant medical career that included top positions in urology and major scientific honours.

“One of our European and global key opinion leaders left us. With his great personality, his special Irish humour and friendship, he indeed will be very much missed,” said EAU Secretary General Prof. Per-Anders Abrahamsson. “The urological community will be much less fun without John.”

Head of Research of the Irish Cancer Society since January 2012 until his death, Fitzpatrick was professor and chairman for 25 years at the Department of Surgery, Mater Misericordiae Hospital and the University College in Dublin. He also served as registrar and consultant in various hospitals and universities in Dublin and London. Editor-in-Chief of the BJU International from 2003 to 2012, Fitzpatrick also served as president of the British Association of Urological Surgeons and the Irish Society of Urology.

Aside from major honours by prominent medical associations in Ireland, Fitzpatrick received top honours from various medical organisations in the UK, US, Hungary, New Zealand and, most recently, the Distinguished Career Award in 2012 from the Société Internationale d’Urologie. He was also granted honorary memberships in 15 urological associations and societies, and served in the editorial boards of 25 international publications.

He edited, wrote and co-authored nearly 20 books, more than 90 book chapters and over 400 scientific and scholarly papers published in international, peer-reviewed journals on a wide range of urological topics ranging from andrology, stones to uro-oncology, among many others.

With his numerous visiting professorships and fellowship in various countries, Fitzpatrick was a well-sought speaker and lecturer in international conferences. His last participation in an international event in mainland Europe was at the 29th Annual EAU Congress in Stockholm last April where he chaired a symposium in metastatic prostate cancer.