Paediatrician known for his work in Scotland and India. An appreciation
THE main tribute to Dr Krishna Goel, who has died aged 81, was printed in The Herald in 2018 and was exhaustive with its information regarding his achievements and qualifications.
This appreciation rounds off Dr Goel's life and highlights major achievements in his life. The massive time and effort it took to run and complete the survey into rickets. His setting up and running of a world-class rheumatology service for the west of Scotland. And his huge vision of three centres to provide help to children and their parents in a hospice. This latter vision he set out on his own and for two years was determined to move it into reality.
He then set up the West of Scotland hospice charity with trustees who could see his vision. After a short time, it was decided to take half of the trustees out and replace them with the same number of trustees from Edinburgh and re-name the charity Children’s Hospice Association Scotland i.e. C.H.A.S.
Over the years this resulted in Dr Goel's original vision of three centres in Scotland for this type of care – Rachel House in Kinross, Robin House in Balloch and a community-based service in Inverness.
Buying, renovating and running Eredine Christian trust completed his desire to provide rest and recuperation to those working with and caring for children with a short life expectancy. This was run as a Christian centre but welcomed anyone of any faith or none.
Following the sale of Eredine and a move to Balloch, he chose to give of his expertise at Christian Medical College India – a highly regarded hospital by all in India. There, he ran a rheumatology clinic for children and contributed to the opening of a neonatal unit from the sale of Eredine.
His many books are also well documented in the original tribute with the exception of his latest which came out after he died, Hutchison’s Atlas of Physical Diagnosis Second edition, by Goel and Carachi.
Full retirement came with his move to Helensburgh. However, behind this life lay his deeply rooted Christian faith. It was after meeting Joyce (who later became his wife) and hearing her Christian beliefs that, after many questions and years, he too became a Christian and this became the backbone of his life. It was not surprising that as they read the Bible and prayed he would say “we must cherish these precious moments".
With this in mind, it was deeply meaningful and precious to Joyce that he collapsed when she was with him and she was able to remain with him as he died peacefully at Lorn and Islands Hospital, Oban
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