A tribute to Derek Doyle and Cynthia Goh

Here at Palliative Medicine we have been greatly saddened by the recent deaths of two giants in the field of palliative care who have important associations with the journal.

Derek Doyle has a particularly important place in our history as the founding editor of the journal back in 1987. In recent years he continued his association with the journal as a member of our Editorial Board, only stepping back from this role last year. Derek died in January, aged 90, leaving a huge legacy to palliative care not only in the UK, but across the world. As well as being the founding editor of our journal, he was the first President of the Association of Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland, and a founding member of the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care. He received multiple honours for his work including the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and was bestowed with Lifetime Membership of the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care in 2009.

Cynthia Goh was a very valued member of our editorial advisory board who died in February, aged 72. She was instrumental in the development of palliative care in Singapore, helping to set up services at the Singapore General Hospital and National Cancer Centre. She was the founding president of HCA Hospice Care. Her influence was felt more widely as she also chaired the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, only recently moving to the advisory chair position last year.

The palliative care world has been greatly saddened and diminished by the deaths of two such important figures. Here at the journal we hope that their legacy lives on, as the work that we do has been shaped by their past influences. Thank you to both of them for their immeasurable contributions to progressing our field.