Page 34 - ANZCP GAZETTE DECEMBER 2023

MR DARRYL MCMILLAN LFANZCP, CCP EMERITUS Jane Ottens
In putting together this edition of the Gazette, I discovered it was very remiss of us to over look and acknowledge the retirement of Darryl.
Darryl stepped away from perfusion quietly (unlike his usual style) with long service leave of about 18 months and then retirement in 2019 as Head of Perfusion at Royal North Shore Hospital.
While Darryl is currently enjoying life and tinkering in his very large shed on the Sunshine Coast of QLD, he continues to contribute to the college and our profession, with still being involved in simulation.
Darryl started in Perfusion back in 1987 after training as an aesthetic technician, with nursing background.
He was Director of Perfusion at Royal North Shore hospital and in 1996 decided to take up a role on the executive of the then society.
This was to be the start of an illustrious career on the executive. He would take on the position of Vice President in 1997 and President in 1998 – the role he would undertake for the next 8 years.
It’s often mentioned to get something done, give it to a busy person – well Darryl is the primary example of this.
While working clinically, being director of a busy unit, having a young family and President he also convened many annual scientific meetings and took on the role of Gazette editor. He led the then executive, with again another shot at the eternal quest for registration and trying to advance our cause for professional recognition with government bodies. He also had a small amount left to his favorite hobby of building motor bikes in his shed.
One of Darryl’s other passions was blood management and he was a leader in promoting this within the field of perfusion, both locally and internationally, especially
at the AmSECT blood management meeting. From that experience he then went on to set up, develop here our own version and was co- convenor for the ANZCP IMOB meeting that was held in 2014,15 and 17
Darryl and his group were known to perfuse anything or at least give it a go, with some interesting work in mitral valve replacement in dogs.
Along with Kieron Potger, in the late 90s, they started working at the Sydney simulation center with the precursor of the Orpheus perfusion simulator, as an education tool. Darryl and Kieron’s work was pioneering in the field of high fidelity simulation, and he continues this passion even in retirement. My involvement with simulation was inspired by Darryl’s passion back in the early days... how to make us all safer, practice uncommon events, disaster management and learn from our mistakes using hi-fidelity simulation. His involvement over the past decades with ANZCP student courses, AsAP meetings for the college 2016/218, Medtronic APEC simulation courses 2017 -2019, and the last 2 ASM meetings in Cairns and Sydney.
His enthusiasm has always been contagious, and he is always thinking of new ways to blow up HLM, and for those who have participated in a “Darryl simulation”, you would be aware that you never know what is going to happen next (literally)
At Royal North Shore - Darryl was instrumental in creating the professional standing that their department has. He always looked to expand the role of perfusion and be seen as the craft group in the hospital to turn to for anything related to extra-corporeal circulation and intra operative blood management. The team at RNS wish him all the best!
31 DECEMBER 2023 | www.anzcp.org