New oncology practice to open at Netcare Vaalpark Hospital
After being a shareholder and director for ABJ Inc. Vereeniging Oncology Centre for almost 18 years, the highly regarded clinical radiation oncologist, Dr Frank Bonfils-Persson, is now retiring from ABJ Inc to start his own practice F.P. Oncology Inc.
Dr Frank Persson matriculated from Vaal High School in Vanderbijlpark in 1976. He qualified in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) from the University of the Witwatersrand, having majored in Biochemistry and Physiology. He completed his medical degree at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 1986.
He had initially planned to become a plastic surgeon and worked under the esteemed Professor Bert Myburgh at Wits University Medical School as a surgical registrar for two and a half years. He left this and became a general practitioner for five years. His practise was based in Pinetown, Durban.In 1999, at the age of 36, he started re-specialising. He became a fellow of the College of Medicine South Africa F.C. Rad(Onc) in 2002, and qualified as a clinical radiation oncologist with a Master’s degree in Medicine in 2004.
Dr Persson, who is both a medical oncologist and radiation oncologist, has a special interest in prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung and gynae cancer. His radiation therapy includes external beam radiation therapy, prostate brachytherapy and Gamma-knife therapy. He treats both solid tumors and some haematological malignancies, all lymphomas, multiple myelomas and chronic leukaemias.
In his leisure time he will either be found high in the air or deep down underwater! He has been a pilot for 40 years, has 850 hours under his belt as a glider pilot, close to 600 as a private pilot and is also an instructor. He derives much pleasure from his Piper Super Cub, an Alaskan bush plane.
He has enjoyed scuba diving all over the world for more than 30 years and is an advanced nitrox scuba diver.
“I love the academic challenge as well as the tranquility of both aviation and water sports,” he says. He describes himself as “absolutely a people’s person” and a very good educator who loves empowering people with new knowledge. Dr Persson and his wife Jane have two children, namely a son, Jade, a daughter, Ayla and a grandson, Harry.
* The new practice, F.P. Oncology, opens at Netcare Vaalpark Hospital, Suite 5, on January 16. For more information, kindly call the practice on (016) 004 0179.
