Former Nepean Hospital surgeon and Glenbrook resident Dr Patrick Cregan was remembered as a larrikin and respected surgeon at his memorial service in Penrith on Friday.
The 250 friends, family, former patients and colleagues who attended the Sydney International Regatta Centre service were encouraged to wear Hawaiian shirts, for the 65-year-old who loved visiting Hawaii.
Dr Cregan lost a long battle with cancer in January and was posthumously made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to medicine and health care delivery in NSW.
He practised at Nepean public and private hospitals for 23 years and was a strong advocate for better health services in western Sydney.
“He was always pressing for a fair go for the west. That’s what he stood for and will always be remembered for,” said Peter Collins, chair of the Nepean Blue Mountains Health District board.
Surgeon and friend, Associate Professor Brian McCaughan, described Dr Cregan as “an exemplary leader who knew how to work with people.”
“Anyone who disagreed with him was just wrong,” he joked.
Professor Michael Cox, the clinical director of surgery at Nepean Hospital, described Dr Cregan as “basically a ratbag school boy” with a wicked sense of humour.
Prof Cox told of how he returned to his Harley at the hospital one day to find a brown envelope waiting.
Outraged “the bastards had booked me”, he opened the envelope to find a note from Dr Cregan, “Gotcha!”
Dr Cregan pioneered keyhole surgery, and was also at the forefront of telemedicine. He is survived by his wife Suzanne, seven children and two grand-children.
