Norman Bleehen

Biography Early life and education Norman Bleehen was born on 24 February 1930 in Manchester to an Orthodox Jewish family. His father was Soloman Bleehen and his mother was Leana Bleehen (née Shlosberg). He grew up in London and was later educated at Manchester Grammar School and then Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (now Haberdashers' Boys' School). He studied the aspects of insulin for which he was awarded the Gotch Memorial Prize. In 1952, he began clinical training at Middlesex Hospital School and qualified in 1955. In 1957, he was made a Member of the Royal College of Physicians.

Scientific career After being demobilised in 1959, Bleehen rejoined Oxford University's department of Regius professor of medicine. He later specialised in radiotherapy at Middlesex Hospital. That same year, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists. In 1962, he trained under Sir Brian Windeyer as senior registar at Middlesex Hospital. When Windeyer retired in 1969, Bleehen succeeded him as professor of radiotherapy. and was buried in the Cambridge City Cemetery.

Personal life In the summer of 1969, he met Tirza Loebe, a PhD student, while he was doing his research at Middlesex Hospital, and they got married on 14 December 1969.

Honours Gotch Memorial Prize Member of the Royal College of Physicians (1957) Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR; 1964) Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP; 1970) Honorary Fellow of the American College of Radiologists (1973) Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge (1976) Emeritus Cancer Research Campaign Professor of Clinical Oncology (1976) Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bologna (1990) Commander of the British Empire (CBE; 1994)