Gold Coast paediatrician, clinical geneticist and father of three president Dr Stephen Withers dies after long battle with cancer
One of the Gold Coast’s most respected paediatricians and doctors has died at 58 after a lengthy health battle. TRIBUTES POUR IN>>>
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JUST weeks before he passed away, well-respected Gold Coast paediatrician, loving husband and father-of-three Dr Stephen John Withers walked his daughter Caitlyn down the aisle.
The 58-year-old clinical geneticist was a much loved paediatrician at Pindara Private Hospital and former head of the Gold Coast Medical Association.
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three years ago and while he “fought like the dickens” to beat the disease, he passed away surrounded by family on August 7, 2021.
A tribute from his family said Stephen “passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer” and was a “loving husband to Teresa, champion father to Chris, Caitlyn and Courtney, and his best bud Milo”.
“He will be loved always,” they said.
Tributes have come pouring in for the doctor, who was known as “a great inspiring bloke, who will be missed by us all” and a “kind and generous man, with an infectious cheerful nature”.
“Many memorable and funny experiences but he left nothing on the paddock, and went out with his loving family around. Someone should have warned St Peter that he was coming," wrote a friend.
“Few people leave this world leaving such an impact as Stephen …. no words suffice, but the world is a little less bright without him,” wrote someone else.
“There are no words to express my admiration and respect I have for Stephen. His kindness, generosity and humility will never be forgotten. And that infectious laugh,” said a friend.
The Gold Coast Private Maternity team wrote: “Stephen was a wonderful man and Paediatrician, his support and positivity will always be remembered. Every baby was ‘A little champion’.”
Another person said: “I was privileged to work with Stephen over the years and through thick and thin, he was always there for me as a mentor, sounding board, to give and offer advise, and he even when he didn’t need too, but I am glad he did, he always looked out for me.
“Even personally, when going through chemo himself, he rang to check on my family and to make sure my son was being looked after.”
Born in 1963 on the Gold Coast, Stephen lived in Mt Tamborine with his family and was only three when his mother died. His father later remarried and went on to have more children. At the end of grade 10, Stephen’s father told him to go out and get a job and some experience – so he went off and started making stairs.
That only lasted six months before the passionate teen went back to his father and said he’d really like to study medicine.
Despite his father trying to persuade him against it, Stephen moved in with his grandparents so he could attend finish high school and put himself through medical school.
He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1987 and commenced training in paediatrics in 1989 at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
Stephen met his wife Teresa at university, she went on to become the first female neurosurgeon in Queensland and the fourth in Australia.
She was also one of a few female neurosurgeons who went on to have three children while continuing a successful career.
Family friend Dr Ellison Stephenson, a neurosurgeon colleague of Dr Teresa Withers, said Stephen was a “fabulous guy and completely self made”.
Dr Stephenson, who met Stephen at medical school, said he was a “whiz” as a junior doctor and went on to have an “incredible career.”
“He was absolutely committed to this patients, but he was a family man at heart,” she said.
She said while Stephen’s family were devastated at their loss, “I think they feel so honoured to have had him in their lives”.
Stephen completed his specialist training in 1995 and made a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He went on to complete subspecialty training in the discipline of Clinical Genetics (inherited disorders) at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
He also completed a Masters Degree of Medical science from the University of Queensland and completed two post subspecialty fellowships, one at the Institute of Oncology at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney and the other at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.
He returned to Australia in 2000 and was appointed the Director of Paediatrics at Logan Hospital and in 2003 was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship. In 2004 he joined the Foundation Staff at the Griffith University Medical School as the first appointed Associate Professor in Paediatrics.
In his final years, Dr Withers provided comprehensive paediatric services including care of newborn babies at the Pindara Hospital’s maternity unit and special care nursery.
Dr Stephenson said Stephen really loved kids and spent a lot of time with his patients and spent a lot of time helping sick babies and comforting families.
“He would often whistle, and one day a parent whose baby was about to go into surgery heard it and said she knew her child was going to be okay because Stephen was there,” she said.
While he couldn’t continue his work in paediatrics because of his health battles, Stephen continued his genetics work.
Dr Stephenson recalls one Christmas recently when Stephen searched every single Aldi for a special Christmas ferries wheel; he loved collecting certain things.
Finally after searching every store he found two at Labrador and while waiting at the checkout noticed a family in front of him doing it tough. The young boy saw the item in Stephen’s hand and wanted one but his mother said they couldn’t afford it.
“Well, Stephen ran out of the store after he paid for the ornament and gave it to the little boy. That’s just what he was like, so giving and thoughtful,” she said.
“Of course he ran back into the store and was thrilled to find there was still one ferris wheel left for him.”
Dr Stephenson said the kind-hearted doctor “fought like the dickens” and defied all odds by surviving for three years after his diagnosis, having numerous rounds of chemotherapy and other treatments.
“His daughter got married a couple of weeks ago and he walked her down the aisle, he was so proud and grateful he got to do that,” she said.
“But at the end it was all about spending time with this three children and Teresa.”
He was also a loving brother of Shelley, Jason and Juliette; loving son of John predeceased and June; nephew of: Bill Withers and Trish Sparrow; Wilfred & Margaret, Bevan & Michelle, Gordon & Julie Slater; cousin of: Wendy Marmoy, Cathy Day, William Withers; uncle of: Rosie & Harley and great uncle of Leo.
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