Staff at Paul Strickland Scanner Centre have paid tribute to John Hanney, who recently passed away and served as visionary chairman of the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre Board of Trustees from 1996 until 2010.
Mr Hanney, a respected and well-connected local solicitor at the time, joined the Board after he was approached by Dr Strickland.
He was known for a highly charismatic and passionate leadership style during his tenure, and even after leaving the board served as a tireless advocate and supporter of the Centre for the rest of his life.
Long-standing radiologist at the Centre and lead consultant for MRI, Prof Anwar Padhani, knew Mr Hanney for many years and referred to him as a colleague and friend. In a moving tribute, he praised Mr Hanney’s significant contributions, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care: “It is with deep respect and fond remembrance that I pay tribute to John Hanney, former Chairman of the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre.
“John’s long association with the Centre was characterised by visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care. His significant contributions have left an indelible mark on us. Instrumental to our growth, John oversaw the ambitious building of the cyclotron, fundamentally advancing our diagnostic and research capabilities. He was a leader who consistently looked to the future, meticulously planning essential machine replacements while continuously seeking new opportunities to expand our clinical impact within the cancer centre and more widely. John understood that world-class technology requires world-class expertise. He was dedicated to hiring the very best staff, ensuring that the Centre was always primed to respond to ever-evolving clinical demands. Beyond his profound professional legacy, we remember the man himself. To so many of us, he was present, a colleague, a friend who will be greatly missed.”
Caroline Wren, Senior Fundraiser at Paul Strickland Scanner Centre, said: “He knew everyone by name, took interest in their families and was absolutely passionate about the charity. After his retirement, he continued to support and champion the Centre, in particular through our annual Charity Golf Day which he first set up in 2005 and continued to drum up support for.”
