Thomas Desmond Hawkins

Desmond Hawkins was born on 22 May 1923. While studying medicine at St. Mary's Hospital, during the Second World War, he assisted casualties from the Normandy landings, and later at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp as a voluntary medical student.[2][1][3]

He studied radiology at Oxford and Manchester. In 1959 he was elected a fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists, and the following year he moved to Addenbrooke's Hospital. He was part of the team that managed the first group of patients at the “New Addenbrooke’s Hospital” in Hills Road.[1]

Hawkins made innovations in interventional neuroradiology, and become the first to treat carotico-cavernous fistulae with balloons.[1]

In 1979, he became the second clinical dean of Cambridge University’s school of clinical medicine.[1]

Following retirement in 1988, Hawkins pursued his interest in archeology and completed a MPhil in the subject. Between 1989 and 1993, he served as president of Hughes Hall.[1]

He married Margaret, whom he met during his time on the south coast while assisting servicemen at the Normandy D-day landings.[1][3]

Hawkins died at home on 2 January 2015.[1]

The Desmond Hawkins award, a bursary to assist medial students in studies abroad, is named in his honour.[4]

• Roads to Radiology: An Imaging Guide to Medicine and Surgery. Berlin Heidelberg; Springer-Verlag (1983). Co-authored with T. Sherwood, A.K. Dixon and M.L.J. Abercrombie ISBN 978-3-540-11801-5
• "Radiological Investigation of Glomus Jugulare Tumours". Acta Radiologica. Vol. 5, Issue P1, 1 January 1966.

• List of London medical students who assisted at Belsen