BOPDHB History Tauranga Hospital Centennial Book | Page 11

3

Innovators

In 1914 global recognition would
have been beyond the imagination of
Tauranga Hospital’s small number of
staff. Today, local innovation has led
to international acclaim.
David Shaw, Gastroenterologist,
New Zealand Order of Merit
(November 1953 – April 2013)
David Shaw was an
internationally renowned
gastroenterologist based
at Tauranga Hospital.
David completed a
Bachelor of Medicine
and Surgery from Otago
University, and Masters
degrees in science from
Massey and Otago
Universities respectively,
before he joined
Tauranga Hospital as a House Surgeon in 1981.
He returned to Tauranga Hospital as a Medical Registrar in
the mid-1980’s and it was during this time that he developed
his interest in gastroenterology and endoscopic medicine,
when he covered for a colleague who was on leave.
On his third tenure at Tauranga Hospital, he returned as a
gastroenterologist and began working with Dr Parry Guilford
from the University of Otago Cancer Genetics laboratory
and the Mt Maunganui Kimihauora Health Clinic, which had
made contact with the Cancer Genetics Laboratory in 1996.
Systemic research led to the identification of mutations
in the E-cadherin gene in 1997amongst members of the
McLeod whānau from Mount Maunganui who were highly
susceptible to developing gastric cancer. The McLeod
whānau were plagued by premature deaths which they once
feared to have been a Māori curse.
A relatively simple blood test was developed by the
University and a testing programme, run by Kimihauora
and the Northern Regional Genetic Service, completed 110
blood tests. Out of that 38 were found to carry the mutation
in the E-cadherin gene.

One of the critical outcomes was the setting up of a
screening programme at Tauranga Hospital for those
identified with the gene. David used a specially adapted
chrome endoscopy technique which used coloured dye
to help enhance the appearance of tiny lesions. It was
this screening that became critical to the chances of early
detection of this familial stomach cancer.
This collaborative work saved the lives of many of the
McLeod whānau.
David received six fellowships and was also a Dawes
Postgraduate Scholar. His work earned him the
New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2005 Queen’s Birthday
Honours list for his services to medicine.
David Shaw died in April 2013 in Tauranga at the age of 59.

Professor Fred Hollows
(April 1929 – February 1993)
Fred Hollows was at
Tauranga Hospital
from 1958-1959. It was
here that he made his
first significant move
towards becoming an
‘eye doctor’. He had
completed an ‘eye term’
as part of his medical
training, and the Eye
Surgeon Dr R.E Tingey
at Tauranga Hospi