Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Dr Mike Mendall MB.BS, MA, MD, FRCP

Dr Mike Mendall MB.BS, MA, MD, FRCP
Consultant Gastroenterologist Croydon University Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturer St George’s Hospital Medical School.

Proposer: Abdul Sultan

CONTRIBUTION TO CMS

1. When president of CMS, he made a number of innovations to move the society on from its previous format of 3 meetings a year at Shirley Oaks and the annual dinner at Chateaux Napolean. He rotated meeting venues and changed the location of the annual dinner.
2. He introduced the annual Lifetime Achievement Award
3. He is the longest serving member of the CMS committee.
4. Other innovations, such as the ‘presidential hat’ ala Colonel Gadaffi, which he handed to his successor Muti Abulafi, have not continued as Muti lost the hat!

NON-RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

• He has never had a day off sick in 25 years as a consultant in Croydon which, according to average NHS rates of sickness (4% before the pandemic and now run to 8%) means that by his calculations, he has worked an entire year for free.
• As chair of the R and D committee in 2000, he played a major role in establishing and developing the R and D department at CUH and helped supervise a number of research fellows towards MDs.
• He has led the gastroenterology team for 15 years at CUH.
• He served on a number of national committees, including the British Society of Gastroenterology and the Upper GI Cancer National Cancer Intelligence Network.
• He was head of service for medicine for two stints of three years and helped modernise the service.

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

He had an active research career with more than 100 publications, including first-world reports many made whilst working at CUH. He began work as a consultant in Croydon in 1995, and continued to run a research lab whilst doing his consultant job, for a further 5 years. During this period, he raised 1.5 million pounds in grant funding.

The central theme of his research career began whilst on elective in rural Bihar, a very backward area of India, in 1984. He was struck by the small size of the children, being only 60% of WHO norms yet appearing healthy. He became interested in the possibility that chronic low-grade insults could produce qualitatively similar effects to more obvious illnesses and that these could explain the differences in growth and height. In those days, we lacked assays for various markers of inflammation sufficiently sensitive to measure levels within apparently healthy people. He spent the first part of his research career developing and exploiting such assays to demonstrate widely differing health experiences related to these small differences.

Achievements include:

• Many aspects of H. pylori transmission, including the first evidence that it was mainly transmitted in childhood (Lancet 1992) and transmitted between children at school(BMJ 1994), the latter utilising a novel test of salivary western blotting for antibodies which was developed in his lab.
• One of the first reports of the relation of CRP levels within the normal range with a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors and with cardiovascular disease itself pointing to the inflammatory basis for this and most human chronic disease (1996). This involved the development of a sensitive assay for CRP in his lab able to measure down to 0.001mg/dl.
• The first study exploring the levels and determinants of CRP levels in children (1996) demonstrated that levels in children are much lower than in adults and related to abdominal adiposity.
• He was the first to propose a possible association between Helicobacter pylori infection and coronary heart disease (1994), which he no longer fully believes himself, but which continues to receive attention from the wider research community. It has recently become of greater relevance as the appreciation of the role of gut microbiome in human disease becomes better appreciated.
• He undertook and designed one the first antibiotic intervention studies in coronary heart disease directed at two organism, Chlamydia pneumoniae and H. pylori. He believes that the study worked not because of effects on either of these two organisms, but possibly due to effects on other unspecified organisms.
• He was the first to describe the relation of serum cytokine levels with cardiovascular risk factors as a risk of cardiovascular disease (1997). This was subsequently expanded upon by other researchers and is now orthodoxy.
• He was the first to report an association between childhood affluence and antibiotic use with risk of IBS (2008).
• He performed the only randomized placebo-controlled trial of Aloe Vera in IBS.
• He also performed the only study to explore the determinants of the inflammatory response to standardized injury, which showed that baseline CRP is a marker of immune system reactivity and that it is this reactivity which explains the relation of CRP levels to death, from most forms of chronic disease.
• He has the second highest number of citations on google scholar at CUH.
• He performed a number of clinical studies in collaboration with Professor Devinder Kumar into dietary influences on Crohn’s disease activity. The main findings were the deleterious effects of red meat and eggs.
• He conducted the first study exploring the determinants of bowel inflammation as indicated by faecal calprotectin in a general population sample in Croydon in 2002. This showed that obesity, lack of fibre and lack of exercise were the main determinants and the likely link between these environmental factors and the risk of colorectal cancer.
• As a result of these findings, he went on to propose that obesity counter-intuitively was a risk factor for Crohn’s disease, performing the first study to support this. This was based on CUH IBD patients was published in 2013 and has received widespread confirmation. Following this, he had a fruitful collaboration with Professor Tine Jess in Copenhagen and was able to confirm and extend these associations in a number of Danish national datasets, leading to publication in high-profile journals.
• An observational study of the determinants of mortality amongst hospital patients during the first COVID wave from March to April 2020. This showed that obesity frailty and age were the only independent determinants of mortality, with chronic disease not playing an independent role.

Dr Rupert Courtenay-Evans

Dr Rupert Courtenay-Evans sadly passed away at the end of last year, below is the eulogy given by one of his sons.

Rupert James Courtenay-Evans (Dad) was born in Kensington in 1938. During the blitz the family evacuated to Bourne End but returned to live in Kensington in 1945. Dad was educated at The Hall Prep School in Hampstead and then at Charterhouse. He studied medicine at Trinity College Cambridge and after three years of hard work, with some rowing, hockey, squash and the occasional beer, he graduated with a BA Hons. After another three years of clinical medicine at St.
Bartholomew’s Hospital, he became a Bachelor of Medicine and a qualified doctor. Dad learnt his trade first as a House Surgeon in Southend, then some pathology back at Barts, neurology at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, then as Registrar at the London before some research at the Brompton and then back to Addenbrooke’s as a Senior Registrar.

It was in Cambridge, in 1970, that Dad met Patricia Anne Burton (Mum), also a doctor at Addenbrooke’s. It was love at first sight and within six months they were married at Trinity College Chapel by his friend the Rev. Percy Gray. Dad first met Percy when they both served in the Territorial Army. Dad had joined the TA while at Cambridge in 1964. Captain Courtenay–Evans served for five years as a medical officer mostly with the 289 Artillery Parachute Regiment based in London. He became a qualified parachutist and made over 30 jumps.

In 1973 Dad was appointed as a Consultant at the Mayday Hospital in Croydon. He and Mum with their young daughter Jane, and Tom on the way, started to look for somewhere to live in the vicinity. Dad recognised the name of Chipstead as his brother Giles, who was at school with Reverend John Wates had visited the village during the holidays. A drive around the village, a beer and a turkey pie at the White Hart was enough to convince them to stay and they bought a house in Rickman Hill Road. The expanding Courtenay–Evans family now including Tom and James moved to Starrock Court in 1978. Nick and Diana followed in 1980 and 1981 respectively to complete the family.

At Mayday, Dad was a general physician specialising in respiratory conditions. Despite the long hours and nightshifts, he enjoyed working as part of a small team of doctors. Inevitably, the organisation changed over time and when it was established as a Trust in 1992, he became the hospital’s first Medical Director. He retired from the Chest Clinic in 1998 but worked for another four years as a consultant in the hospital’s emergency department.

In 2002 Mayday was reorganised and renamed Croydon University Hospital. Dad retired from the hospital at this time but not from medicine. He worked as a ship’s doctor on the Fred Olsen cruise liners taking in five working-holidays with mum at his side, looking very dashing in his white uniform. He also worked as a consultant on tribunals assessing medical compensation claims for industrial chest diseases.

In 2017, Dad was awarded the President’s lifetime achievement award by the Croydon medical society. Dr Tony Newman-Sanders, the president at the time wrote in his commendation.

“As Medical Director Rupert made a big impression by being able to bring the best out of colleagues of all temperaments using his energy and charm, leading by example and with a reputation for fairness and honesty. Rupert ushered in a Golden Age of leadership at Mayday. The reason why he is the recipient of the lifetime achievement award is that, more than anyone else, he shepherded hospital care in Croydon into the 21st Century.”

Dad was always involved in Chipstead village life. He served on all the major institutions and as the village archivist he has helped to ensure that the village’s history has been preserved. Although not a cricketer himself, in 2012 he became President of Chipstead Coulsdon and Walcountians cricket club where he had spent many happy hours over the years watching his three sons play cricket.

BOATING
Dad had a life-long love of the inland waterways of Britain and the River Thames in particular stemming from his childhood days in Bourne End. While a student at Barts in 1960 and 1961, he competed in the Devizes to Westminster two-man canoe race. Covering 125 miles, this race is one of the toughest endurance events in the world, according to Dad anyway. They recorded times of 52 hours on the first attempt and 31 hours on the second. I think they spent less time in the pub second time round.

We had many happy family holidays on the broads, rivers and canals of Britain and in 1996 Dad bought a narrow boat, Traveller’s Joy and kept it on the River Wey first at Godalming and then at Pyrford. This boat and its successor, Rahere, named after the founder of Barts hospital, were to be a source of great enjoyment for the Courtenay-Evans family and friends.

I remember the great fun we had taking the boat from the River Wey up the Thames and then into the canals of London, mooring in Little Venice where it served as a base for friends and family during Lord’s Test matches. Another favourite memory is doing the London Ring with Dad and James in 1997. Cruising down the tidal Thames in heavy rain and strong wind, Dad giving it full throttle past the houses of Parliaments and getting us all absolutely drenched. Having a beer while listening to Test Match Special and Nasser Hussein and Graham Thorpe smashing Warne, McGrath et al all- round the park. Happy days!

GRANDCHILDREN
As well as his 5 children, Dad had 9 grandchildren. In 2011, when he was 73, Diana, Mark and their 6- month-old son Edward moved back to Chipstead while renovations were carried out at their flat in Chiswick. With Diana working in London all day – and Dad no longer having work to escape to – he suddenly found himself playing a far more hands-on role with baby care than he had ever done before. I don’t think he ever attempted to actually change a nappy, but he was very supportive with feeding, carrying Edward up and down stairs, whistling nursery rhymes at nap time. Dad was always a great whistler. I’m not sure Mum could believe the transformation; this was after all the man who once attended an overnight call out on Mum’s behalf when she was working as GP, simply to avoid being left in sole charge of his own children for an hour!

One of Dad’s real talents as a father and grandfather was telling stories at bedtime. He loved western films, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood were his favourites, and country and western music. He would make up bedtime stories about battles between the US cavalry and Red Indians for me and James involving General Custer, the Indian chiefs and family members, human and canine. Nick and Diana remember him reading poetry, The Hippocrump by James Reeves was a real favourite.

These poems and stories were always delivered with a rich array of different voices and a twinkling smile. On holidays, Grandpa’s bedtime routine expanded to taking the older children, aged at least four or above, to the pool bar or local pub for an ice-cream and a game of cards after supper; something they remember fondly. He loved playing board games and until recently would play – and usually beat – his grandchildren at chess before Sunday lunch.

Nick has some personal reflections and memories to share of Dad. I remember the day he first took me to a colts evening at Chipstead Cricket Club. Aged about 10, we were playing in the net in the garden one summer Friday afternoon, dad bowling his slow left-armers. I managed to hit him over the hedge into next door’s garden. Clearly somewhat irked by this and seemingly before the ball had landed and certainly while I was still admiring the hit, the car had already started, and I was whisked up to join Colts training instead. Dad’s bowling reputation remained intact from thereon, and I was introduced to a lifetime infatuation with village cricket, one which persists to this day.

A standout moment of immense pride came in my first year as a bewildered medical student on a ward round in Addenbrooke’s, Cambridge. Feeling terrifyingly out of my depth as we were systematically introduced and grilled in front of fellow students and doctors, the Professor of Medicine turned to me as his next victim, paused noticeably as he clocked my name badge and then asked very respectfully if I was related to Rupert Courtenay-Evans. When I said he was my father, he beamed and announced to the group how he had been Dad’s junior many years before and that ‘Rupert was the finest clinician’ he had ever known. Sadly, my brain wasn’t sharp enough to reply ‘That may be so, but he isn’t much of a bowler.’

CHRISTMAS
Losing Dad just before Christmas is tough. The thought of celebrating without him feels very sad for us all. However, it’s also reminded us of all the wonderful Christmases we had, and the starring role Dad played in these.

Christmas drinks parties Mum and Dad hosted at Starrock Court, with the Chipstead Carol Singers lined up on the stairs while guests watched from the hall. The cowboy carol was a firm favourite of theirs and Jane in particular.

The first time that Kathryn and her family came for Christmas lunch, they were greeted by Dad with a fire extinguisher in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. He had been tackling a small to medium kitchen fire. This was not unusual for him on the rare occasions he attempted to help in the kitchen. He had managed to coat most of the lunch with fire extinguisher foam. As he came to welcome his guests, his clear instruction to Mum and Diana who were with him in the kitchen at the time was “just scrape it off – it looks like bread sauce anyway”.

In summary, Dad was a hero to all of us. He was very the best of men. We all wanted to be like him and for him to be proud of us and we always will. Love you Dad.

Annual Dinner 2024 at Farleigh Golf Club

On Friday 14 June, a wonderful evening was enjoyed by 65 members and guests at Farleigh Golf Club. The venue and food were excellent. Throughout the evening, we were entertained by Bertie the Magician with lovely background music by Mark Dowling on his piano. Our outgoing President, Miss Ranee Thakar, presented a richly deserved Lifetime Achievement Award Medal to Dr John Spicer and then handed over the Presidency to Dr Nick Ford. He was presented with the CMS Presidential Medal and Gavel, with every good wish for him to have a successful year.

Many photos were taken – these can be viewed in the members part of the website.

Self Defence lesson by Jim Nayyar

On Wednesday 21st February Jim and his team, (a black belt 3rd Dan in Jujitsu) gave us 2 hours of their time to show CMS members tips on how to defend ourselves against any assault. Our lesson showed that with the use of Jujitsu a practitioner can turn their opponent’s strength against themselves.

A reminder of the basic techniques learnt

Jim took up Jujitsu at the age of 50 following on from an assault at East Croydon Station. After learning Jujitsu, he went on to provide Jujitsu instruction to a wide range of people, including children bullied at school and older people.

View the photos in our members’ part of the website.