Legacy of Love, Precision and Purpose

Dr Leon Pitchon, MBBS, FRCS (Edin), FRCS (Eng), FRACS, describes himself as lucky. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt and of Russian and Spanish ancestry, his family migrated to Australia when he was just fourteen years old. He reflects with deep gratitude on a life of opportunity, purpose – and, more recently, philanthropy. 

“I live in one of the best countries in the world,” Leon says. “I’m very proud and glad that this is the case, and that I was allowed in as a migrant back in ’49.” 

That gratitude is at the heart of Leon’s decision to establish the Drs Leon and Gill Pitchon Endowed Memorial Fund in Cancer Research - a perpetual gift to the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI) at the University of Adelaide. 

“To a great extent, the philanthropy I’m giving is to memorialise Gill” he says. “Probably 60 to 70 per cent of it, because I loved her so much. We were just so close, and 52 years wasn’t enough…"

Gill, a fellow medical professional who worked in anaesthetics, passed away six years ago from cancer. The pair had shared not only a career - with Gill often by Leon’s side in the operating theatre - but a life rich in art, travel and companionship.

After retiring, they spent two decades exploring the world and immersing themselves in the arts. Gill volunteered at the Art Gallery of South Australia and the State Library, and Leon has since honoured her legacy through significant donations to both the Art Gallery and Her Majesty’s Theatre, where the Leon and Gill Pitchon Foyer will soon open. 

Leon has remained connected to the University that helped launch his career. He is a proud member of the Elder Conservatorium Circle and regularly attends music events. He is also a committed attendee of Research Tuesdays, a monthly lecture series run by the University. “I do virtually anything to keep my brain active,” he says, with a clear desire to stay on top of advances in medicine and medical research.

This lifelong curiosity is what led Leon into medicine in the first place. As a boy, he was often top of his class. “I had a very good brain, and I was delicate with my hands”. He completed his studies in 1959, at a time when there were only two plastic surgeons practising in Adelaide. Eager to advance his training, he moved to London, where he earned fellowships from both the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS) and Edinburgh (FRCS Edin). He went on to train at Roehampton and East Grinstead - two of the UK's leading centres for plastic and burns surgery.

When Leon returned to South Australia, he played a pioneering role in establishing the state’s first burns unit. “I enjoyed being good at my job and respected for it,” he says. With only a handful of plastic surgeons in the state, Leon’s services were in high demand, and patients were often waiting up to nine months for an operation within his private practice. He was later awarded the Australian fellowship (FRACS) by election, an honour he regarded with great pride.

He also found a creative outlet in jewellery making - a meticulous hobby that, he says, made him a better surgeon. Over the years, he crafted highly detailed pieces for Gill, friends, and family. 

Leon’s life has been full of fascinating chapters. His “claim to fame” he notes with a smile, is having been at school with Omar Sharif - and even appearing in a play with him. But his most enduring achievement may be the legacy he is now building for the future. 

His recent gift to SAiGENCI aims not only to honour Gill’s memory but to support cancer research in perpetuity. “It’s something that can live on far beyond me” he says, celebrating the fact that through this gift, he and Gill will continue to be part of something meaningful well into the future.

Leon’s education was funded by the state of South Australia, and he sees this as an opportunity to give back. “It cost me nothing to become a doctor,” he says, explaining that his six years of study were paid for via bursaries that were available at the time and that he quite rightly earned with his academic aptitude. “I feel I want to reward that”.
Leon hopes others who have been fortunate in life, as he has been, will also consider the impact they can have by supporting research. “It’s nice to reward the country you’ve lived in.” 

As for future students who may one day benefit from his generosity, Leon offers this quiet encouragement: “Use your potential and keep at it, and see how much you can achieve.”

The Drs Leon and Gill Pitchon Endowed Memorial Fund supports cancer research at SAiGENCI. To know more about supporting cancer research through a named fund, contact development@adelaide.edu.au.