The Simon award is presented annually to a member of the BSAVA for outstanding contribution in the field of veterinary surgery. The award takes the form of a statuette of ‘Simon’, a Golden Retriever. Simon, the property of Mr J Thomas, a blind telephone operator, had become blind and had his sight restored by surgery, thus enabling him to resume his full duties as a guide dog. Mr Thomas, in appreciation of the work and surgical skill which had made this possible, inaugurated and made this award at the 1962 Annual Congress.

The 2009 award was presented to Noel Fitzpatrick who is actively involved in bioengineering and the development of several new implant and operative systems in both human and veterinary surgery. The technologies he has employed have featured in respected veterinary journals, worldwide news stations and Time magazine. Noel has conducted research and written papers with major vet schools in the USA and UK and well respected private referral hospitals worldwide. Noel lectures nationally and internationally, in 2009 he has been awarded the Mark S Bloomberg Award for his lecturing in the USA. He has lectured by invitation at human and veterinary surgery conferences in the UK and Europe and has coordinated several surgical training workshops. Noel is the first and only veterinary surgeon to have contributed six primary author and one secondary author scientific papers to a single edition of the prestigious journal Veterinary Surgery in February 2009.

As an alternative to the online form, you can make 2010 nominations for this award by downloading a nomination form here. Once completed, nomination forms must be signed by a member of the Association and must be returned to the Honorary Secretary at Woodrow House, by the 13th November 2010. If you have any further enquiries about the BSAVA Awards, please contact the Honorary Secretary, Alison Speakman, email secretary@bsava.com.