Honorary Doctor Sybill Storz, owner of German-headquartered medical instrument and device manufacturer, Karl Storz, recently visited England to be admitted as a Patron to the Royal College of Surgeons.
A rarely bestowed honour recognising her ‘unstinting support for training, education, and the advancement of surgery’. In a citation, Professor Mike Parker, College Council member, opened with: “To say Dr Sybill Storz is an extraordinary woman would be to underrate her achievements hugely. She is more than extraordinary – she is unique in the world of medical equipment industries.”
Professor Parker went on to summarise her career, particularly after the death of her father, Dr Karl Storz, in 1996, when she took over as chief executive of the company he had established in 1945. He said: “By maintaining a close, personal contact with leading clinicians, clinics, and scientific organisations worldwide, Dr Storz has directed the strategic development of Karl Storz to become one of the world’s foremost medical instrument companies.”
Professor Parker closed by thanking Dr Storz for her recent gift of nine Karl Storz laparoscopic stacks for the Education Centre at the Royal College, for teaching advanced laparoscopic surgery. He then formally presented her to the RCS President, Professor Norman Williams (Professor Parker is pictured reading the citation), who accepted her as a Patron. Also in attendance were RCS vicepresidents, David Ward and Professor Mike Horrocks.
