Friends, family and colleagues gather to honour Dr K T Rajan and Edie May Evans
On Friday, November 3rd, friends, family and colleagues of the late Consultant Rheumatologist, Dr K T Rajan gathered to place a memorial plaque for him, and to honour the former late Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Edie May Evans at Dewi Sant Health Park in recognition of the pioneering work and research that Dr Rajan carried out over his career, which spanned over 50 years.
Dr Rajan made a difference to thousands of people's lives in Wales for the care to his patients and research into the area of Osteoporosis. As a Consultant Rheumatologist Dr Rajan set up the first osteoporosis service for the health board. He then discovered that there was specific diagnostic equipment available in the USA to detect osteoporosis, and with no funding available from the NHS, Dr Rajan approached former local Mayor Edie May Evans to support him with raising money for the special bone scanning machine that would benefit the community. Edie May was keen to help, and they raised a huge £60,000 which funded the first in Wales DXA scanner, which diagnoses osteoporosis. A scanner is still being used in Pontypridd's Dewi Sant Health Park 30 years after the introduction of the original scanner in 1993, and continues to be a valuable addition to the hospital’s rheumatology department scanning over 2,000 people a year.
Original photo of opening of unit with the late Dr Rajan (left) and late Edie May (next left).
As the late Dr Rajan himself said about the diagnostic equipment: "I scanned 16,000 patients on the NHS with the scanner and published nearly 100 research papers; I found that if you can catch the signs of osteoporosis early and treat it, you can help prevent more serious fractures, avoid costs and more importantly, improve the quality of life for sufferers of this debilitating condition."
Consultant Rheumatologist, James Martin said: "I first met Dr KT Rajan at an international bone densitometry meeting in the mid 1990's, and little did I know then that by the end of that decade, I would have the privilege of working with him as a consultant colleague in the osteoporosis service he had developed in this health board. A man with a wicked sense of humour and a glint in his eye, he had a great influence upon me during my formative years as a consultant and was always available to offer guidance in clinical and management matters. Always an exacting task master, he expected excellence and absolute commitment from those working around him. He worked tirelessly for the benefit of his patients, many of whom still remember him fondly some twenty years later. Given his scientific background, enquiring mind and dedication to patient care, his legacy is assured with the unveiling of this plaque next to his beloved DXA unit."
Mayor Wendy Lewis said: “It was a pleasure to be invited by the family of Dr Rajan to unveil this plaque celebrating the lives of an esteemed physician and scientist, and Mayor Edie May Evans. KT’s legacy will live on and the plaque will be a reminder to all hospital visitors of how important his work was.”
Note to Editors:
- Dr Rajan established the first osteoporosis research centre in 1993;
- In 2014, Dr Rajans contribution to science and the community was recognised when he was included in the ‘Dictionary of Biography Who’s Who’;
- Published work in the medical publication ‘Nature’;
- In Wales an estimated 800,000 people suffer from arthritis and related debilitating conditions;
13/11/2023
