Photo : Mr Babu pictured with his wife proudly holding his Health Trust Award and Local Hero Award
Recognition
After Mr Babu ’ s method became the new standard practice in breast cancer surgery , he was presented with a health trust award – and then in 2014 was named ‘ Local Hero ’ at an Island Awards ceremony . This in turn was picked up by the Times of India which featured exceptional professionals around the world and named him as its chosen UK Professional of the Year . Awards are one thing , of course – but the satisfaction he gains from seeing his patients ’ speedy recovery is his main driving force . With rates of breast cancer still creeping up , Mr Babu has performed almost 500 surgeries since 2014 , and is kept busy with a weekly routine of one and a half days in theatre , doing an average of six ops each day along with his Consultant colleague , Mr Stephen Parker and the rest of his time in breast clinics . He puts the rising cancer rates down to lifestyle factors such as later pregnancies , alcohol consumption , obesity and family history – and in those respects , the Island is no different from anywhere else in the world . In fact even in developing Third World countries like India , where Mr Babu began specialising in this area , the numbers are also heading up .
Finding the Island
It was the sheer volume of cases occurring there that gave him the in-depth experience , that he brought to the UK in 2004 . “ I had worked for four years continuously in surgical camps for the poor , where we offered free check-ups in conjunction with the Health Ministry ” he says . “ It was rewarding work , but so busy that I never seemed to have time for my family so when my anaesthetist said he was moving to the UK , I decided to move as well . Originally landing in London , Mr Babu saw the vacancy for an experienced middle-grade surgeon on the Isle of Wight . “ I had to ask people where was this Isle of Wight – I ’ d never heard of it !” he says .
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