Alan Sexton's Letters

News of the death of Dr Frank Lah should not pass without lamentation and due acclaim for a life well-lived. I met him as a very junior registrar at Westmead. Every enthusiastic practitioner progressing to a life of excellence in anaesthesia will have been schooled by someone like Frank Lah. He was a role model who inspired, a boss who instructed without scolding, and an objective realist, who admitted that things can go wrong out of our control and he would inimitably say that “there but for the grace of God go I”. “Anyone could make that mistake,” he would kindly remind us, knowing that being wise after the event was unhelpful. My fondest memories of Frank were his amazing education sessions, where he would stand before us without a single note and talk unscripted for an hour, so well-grounded was his knowledge. In an age when presenters often read their whole lecture verbatim, this interactive, fearless approach was indeed spectacular, inspirational and refreshing. Reflecting on our own youth and the potential for wonderful role models like Frank Lah to change our lives, we must not forget the healing influence we may exert daily on those now following us to ensure we reach out with all our humanity to those who might be struggling. RIP to all who recently passed. Frank Lah, Fraser Capill, John Paull, Tim Grice. Dr Alan Sexton, FANZCA 8October2025