Dr Michael Gibson was a radiologist who was instrumental in founding the pilot breast screening program in Western Australia in 1989, and which is now BreastScreen WA. He has had a profound influence in shaping breast imaging in WA.

Mike was born and raised in the UK and attended medical school there. It was while working in a hospital in Zambia that Mike found his passion for Radiology.

After moving to Perth in 1977 with his wife Margaret and their young family, Mike began working at SCGH, and soon built a distinguished career in WA, being appointed examiner to the Royal Australasian College of Radiologists. He loved his work and often brought work home, quietly reporting scans with care and dedication.

Dr Mike Gibson was the first senior radiologist of the service and played a pivotal role in its establishment following a successful national pilot program in 1989. BreastScreen WA began very modestly, operating from a small house in Subiaco, and soon, the first clinic was established in Cannington.

Alongside Val Gardner, Mike helped lay the foundations of a program that would soon grow far beyond those humble beginnings. Within just six years, what started as a small local service had expanded to become a statewide program, providing free mammograms to women across WA.

Mike’s leadership, expertise and dedication were instrumental in shaping the program into what it is today. From those early days in Subiaco and Cannington, BreastScreen WA has now grown into a statewide service, now performing mammograms for over 135,000 women every year.

Mike’s innovative thinking also saw the introduction of the remarkably effective barcode radiology reading system in 1994. This robust innovative reporting system significantly improved radiology reading, safety and efficiency, and provided a sound basis for future data management, quality improvement processes and program performance monitoring and reporting. This system continues to be used today and has been adopted by other programs interstate.

In 2000, Dr Gibson’s time as Designated Radiologist for BSWA came to an end, with the appointment of a Medical Director.

Mike’s legacy lives on in BreastScreen WA. Most of all, Dr Mike Gibson will be remembered as a true gentleman and an exceptional radiologist. He will be deeply missed.

The above tribute was written with contributions from Dr Margaret Gibson, sons Richard Gibson and Dr Neil Gibson, Julie Whately - Silkwood Funerals, Amanda Rowe - Celebrant.