Tributes have been paid to a “gifted, dedicated and kind” intensive care consultant Casiano Barrera Groba, known as Cas to his friends, who has died aged 64.
Dr Barrera Groba’s funeral is due to take place in Brighton tomorrow (Thursday 27 February) for friends and colleagues to remember and celebrate the life of someone described as “an extraordinary man”.
Colleagues said that his passion and enthusiasm would live on through everyone he taught and worked with at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital as well as up and down Britain and around the world.
He spent 20 years as a highly respected member of the Critical Care and Anaesthetic Department at University Hospitals Sussex.
His life was cut short on Monday 3 February, following a short but devastating illness that left family and colleagues bereft and shocked.
Colleagues have been paying tribute and sharing their memories of a dedicated, gifted and kind friend and mentor.
Chief of surgery Stephen Drage, a fellow consultant in intensive care, said: “Cas touched the lives of so many colleagues and patients during his long and successful career with the trust.
“I will remember him as a caring and compassionate doctor with extensive knowledge of intensive care medicine and anaesthesia.”
Dr Drage added: “He also cared deeply for staff and particularly about new colleagues from overseas, perhaps empathising through their shared experiences and his memories of coming to the UK to work for the NHS, in his case from Galicia, Spain.”
To his friends, he was known as a loving family man, a connoisseur of fine Spanish wines and an accomplished golfer and cyclist. To scores of clinicians he was an exemplary mentor, supporter and positive influence.
Clinical director James Yassin, the lead consultant in intensive care medicine, said: “Cas’s legacy will be the scores of medical students, trainee doctors, nurses and allied health professionals that he taught, mentored and encouraged during his consultant career.
“Those fortunate enough to be taught by him always describe his passion and the infectious enthusiasm he brought to the subject and their understanding.”
Dr Yassin added: “He was also the regional adviser for intensive care medicine (ICM) for Kent, Surrey and Sussex and thanks to his unwavering support we were able to expand the ICM training programme … more than doubling the number of doctors training in ICM.”
Associate post-graduate medical dean Peter Anderson said: “Dr Barerra was an exceptional clinical educator whose influence and reach was immense.
“For example, he set up exchange programmes for intensive care doctors in China and Switzerland. Even to today, Swiss trainees continue to benefit from his vision and drive to improve intensive care medicine at every opportunity.
“I will always remember my first day working as a junior doctor on the Intensive Care Unit. Cas was there as the consultant – welcoming, reassuring and supportive while always maintaining the highest standards of care. He was a role model for me and remained so as we became consultant colleagues.”
Dr Barrera Groba had for several years been part of the Gam Med charity team, which provides biannual support to patients in Gambia, particularly for orthopaedic and plastic surgery procedures.
His colleague Dr Renee van der Most said: “Cas was very passionate about his involvement in Gam Med.
“His support ranged from training local anaesthetic practitioners and providing safe anaesthetic services to adults and children in the local resource-limited conditions to raising charity funds to support our work.
“He did all of this with his characteristic smile and good cheer to patients, local staff and his friends and colleagues.
“He will be dearly missed by all, especially on future trips, as he was responsible for the evening wine orders! Above all, Cas will be remembered for his smile, positivity and charm.”
Dr Barrera Groba, who lived in Burgess Hill and previously Brighton, is survived by his three daughters and wife Samantha, who also works in intensive care at the Royal Sussex and Princess Royal.
