Pakistani-origin surgeon wins Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award
Asif Hasan is honored for 30-year career in pediatric heart surgery, including estimated 400 heart transplants
LONDON (MNTV) — Pakistani-origin pediatric cardiac surgeon Asif Hasan has received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards in recognition of his three-decade career treating children with serious heart conditions.
The awards, a nationally televised British event, recognize people for exceptional achievements and acts of humanity. Winners are selected through public nominations and a judging panel.
According to the Pride of Britain website, Hasan recently retired after 30 years as head of pediatric cardiac surgery at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. During his career, he performed an estimated 400 heart transplants and helped advance treatment for children born with complex heart defects.
While working for the National Health Service, Hasan co-led Newcastle’s “bridge to transplant” program, which uses the Berlin Heart, a mechanical blood pump, to keep infants and children alive while they await donor organs.
He also pioneered a technique known as “bootlace closure” for closing the breastbone after surgery. The technique enabled some children to receive donor hearts that otherwise would have been too large to fit within their chest cavities.
Hasan and his team at Freeman Hospital took on some of the country’s most challenging cases, including children considered too high-risk for treatment at other cardiac units.
Among the patients whose lives were saved under his care were Max Johnson and Cecilia Adamou, both previous recipients of the Pride of Britain’s Children of Courage award.
Beyond his surgical work, Hasan helped train the next generation of paediatric cardiac surgeons in Britain and internationally.
Reflecting on his career, Hasan credited his colleagues and the NHS, saying his proudest achievement was training surgeons who could surpass his own abilities.
“There have been big highs and big lows. My heart swells when I hear about a survivor doing so well, but I do remember all the traumatic cases where someone died,” he said. “I’ve seen human misery up close, but also human resilience and courage.”
He described himself as an ordinary person who had worked alongside extraordinary colleagues, including nurses and consultants who dedicated themselves to patients. He also praised the NHS as an extraordinary institution.
“One of my abiding resolves was that when I stopped work, nobody would miss me. It’s the art of becoming redundant,” Hasan said. “I wanted to train people so that they are not only competent, but better than me, and that’s what I have achieved. That is my proudest achievement.”
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
