CALL FOR ENTRIES

Entrants to the John Henahan Prize are invited to write a 900-word essay on the topic of, “How do I see cataract surgery in 30 years?” The essays will be judged by Emanuel Rosen, chairman ESCRS Publications Committee; Jose Guell, former president ESCRS; Oliver Findl, chairman ESCRS Young Ophthalmologists’ Forum; Sean Henahan, editor EuroTimes; Paul McGinn, editor EuroTimes; and Robert Henahan, contributing editor EuroTimes.

The two main criteria for consideration by the judges are the clinical content of the story and the writing style, including punctuation and grammar, which should reflect the high standard of material published in EuroTimes. The winner will receive a travel bursary worth €1,000 to attend the XXXII Congress of the ESCRS in London, UK and a special trophy which will be presented at the Young Ophthalmologists' Programme.

2013 Winner

The 2013 John Henahan Prize winner was Dr Nicole Tsim whose winning essay was on the theme of, Recollections of My First Intraocular Surgery. Dr Tsim received her prize from ESCRS president Peter Barry at the XXXI ESCRS Congress Video Awards Session in Amsterdam, The Netherlands After the ceremony, Dr Rosen, chairman of the John Henahan Prize Judging Panel, congratulated Dr Tsim and said her essay was outstanding.

“In Nicole Tsim’s award-winning essay she liked drawing analogies with several sports where errors can easily creep in if composure is not maintained,” said Dr Rosen. “She also likens her first ECCE experience to a pilot flying solo for the first time where, as she admits, disaster is always just around the corner. Her determination to control her hands and her breathing help us all to recall those first steps in undertaking intraocular surgery trying to banish negative thoughts and concentrate on having a positive attitude.”

Dr Tsim graduated from the University College London Medical School and became interested in ophthalmology as a specialty while working as a summer intern, fundraising with the Project ORBIS and during her Basic Surgical Training, while working in the Accidents and Emergency Department in England. She is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and is currently in her third year of ophthalmology training at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. She is also an honorary staff member of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Entry forms

The prize is named in honour of John Henahan, who edited EuroTimes from 1996 to 2001. “John’s work has inspired a generation of young doctors and journalists, many of whom continue to work for EuroTimes. The prize will not only bring satisfaction to the winner and credit to all the contributors but may enhance all their prospects of pursuing a medical writing aspect to their future careers. We look to their further contributions to EuroTimes and the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery,” said Dr Rosen.