Jonathan Lewis (oncologist) - Patients

Patients

Dr. Lewis has treated a diverse and notable group of patients throughout his career. Known as an outstanding rugby player, Lewis treated Kitch Christie, the head coach of the South Africa national rugby union team the Springboks that won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, together with his surgical mentor Murray Brennan and research mentor David Golde. Lewis successfully operated on Christie prior to him undergoing experimental therapy. This team, its captain Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela became a symbol of the rainbow nation of the new South Africa. They all became very close as Christie died in 1998. He later cared for Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed for pancreas cancer. Mahomed was the country's first non-white judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa and was subsequently made the Chief Justice by President Nelson Mandela. He helped look after Gordon Brown, "Broon frae Troon" as he was affectionately known, who played second row for Scotland and the British Lions. There are several "Wall Plaques" at Sloan-Kettering from patients and their families in gratitude of Lewis. Amongst the most notable is one from the family of a young lady who had been left for dead, had no insurance or health coverage, but despite this underwent an enormous and successful operation and is alive today. Another is from the family of a former NYPD chief who died from pancreas cancer. It is believed that he waited for Lewis to get back from the Manchester United treble victory in 1999, celebrated the victory with him, and then died later that day. Recently, he helped care for Kate McGarrigle, encouraging her to perform with her family at the Royal Albert Hall on December 9, 2009, just six weeks before her death in January 2010.