Respected Southland surgeon retires after 40 years

Southland Hospital this week bids farewell to respected surgeon and well-known champion for Southland patients, Mr Murray Pfeifer, after 40 years’ service.

Murray has become one of Southland’s most valued adopted sons, and there wouldn’t be many in the community who hasn’t had a friend or loved one benefit from his care over the years.

Tall, well-built, and softly spoken, Southlanders often marvel how this surgeon with such large hands does such delicate, life-saving work.

Born in Wellington to mother Noela, a psychiatric nurse and father Carl Pfeifer, the family moved to West Auckland where his father became the Secretary of Oakley Hospital. An only child, Murray attended Kelston Primary School and Kelston Boys’ High School.

It was the family’s GP, Dr Joseph McGladdery, who Murray admired as a child, and ‘wanted to be just like him”, who inspired him to become a doctor.

With an interest in sciences and how things worked (“I was always pulling things apart and then not being able to put them back together”) and a talent for maths, he took a pragmatic look at employment options and decided to be doctor rather than a teacher.

Leaving Auckland and his parents’ home for the University of Otago and the “heady” experience of Selwyn College, Murray did his medical intermediate and entered Medical School.  In those days the entire class of 120 students stayed together up until the fifth year, when they were split between the main centres.

While in Dunedin, Murray met his wife Jan, who was a nurse, and the couple soon found they had a lot of very good friends who were Southlanders.

“There is something special about Southlanders.  They are great people.  Staunch and proud of their roots.”  It made a lasting impression.

After completing his training in Auckland, Murray was offered jobs in Hawkes Bay and in Southland – and he chose Southland.  The first time he ever set foot in Invercargill was when he arrived to take up the post of first year House Surgeon.

The intention was to spend a year in Southland and then move back to Auckland, but the Pfeifers were enjoying Southland so much they decided to stay.  At work Murray’s career progressed and at home the couple had three children, Megan, Dale and John.

“From that time I set myself the ambition of being a surgeon here in Southland, which was pretty early on in my career.”

Two of Murray’s mentors and first two bosses were then Clinical Director Surgery Gordon Davidson, and General Surgeon Doug Allan, who was the “Young Turk” in the department having only just arrived back in Invercargill from the UK.  Murray was a General Surgeon with an interest in vascular surgery.

These days perhaps best known as a Breast Surgeon by Southlanders, Murray modestly says he “fell into breast surgery by accident”.  A local woman, via a Letter to the Editor, asked about the diagnostic imaging available in Southland – and when asked to reply on behalf of the Hospital, Murray had to admit there was “next to none”.  (Although he hastens to add it was the same for most hospitals in New Zealand, as mammography was only just starting to emerge.)

This led to formation of the Southland Mammography Trust, spearheaded by Jenny Lemin, to raise money for a dedicated mammography machine for Southland.  “I became the pin up boy for the Mammography Trust,” Murray chuckles.

At the same time, a combined application from Otago and Southland saw them chosen, along with Waikato, as one of two pilot areas for the mammography screening programme.

Southland women embraced the concept of mammography and “enough money was raised to buy three machines”.  The Trust bought a machine and wisely invested the rest, which funded screening for Southland women who did not meet the criteria for national screening for the next 25 years.

Asked about his speaking up in public over the years, Murray feels it is “part of professional responsibility to be an advocate”. “At the end of the day you want to do your best for the patient in front of you.  When you see things aren’t right and care could be better you try to do something about it.  Occasionally that means speaking out publicly.”

Only two weeks’ ago, Murray’s 40 years of service were recognised with a long service award at the Southern DHB’s Southern Excellence Awards, and on 11 December he officially retires.

He and Jan love to travel, so that is on the agenda – but for the near future it will be seeing New Zealand in their motorhome.  He’s also looking forward to pursuing his hobbies, perhaps some extramural study in maths, playing sport, biking, walking and spending time with the grandchildren.

He is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Southland Charity Hospital, so while he is officially retiring, his service to Southlanders and their families will continue.

Thank you Murray Pfeifer for your dedicated service to Southlanders and our families over the last 40 years, we wish you and Jan a very happy retirement.