Dr Speight has been a champion for ME for over 20 years. Retirement has crept up on him (preferring to call it a late mid-life crisis), and despite challenging the decision to let him go, he has reluctantly had to concede. It is hard to believe the Durham Hospital Trust is prepared to lose such a senior paediatrician, perhaps it is the price he has to pay for championing the cause of ME and speaking out for patients and families. There are many other consultants in medicine who continue to work in the NHS beyond the age of 65, perhaps they haven’t rocked the boat so hard.

His commitment and dedication working for young people with ME; his expertise and considerable knowledge has been saviour to untold families across the UK, not least in the very serious cases where, because of lack of understanding of this dreadful illness, child protection cases have been called, placing suspicion on the parents as the cause of a child’s “unexplained illness”. In more than 25 such cases Dr Speight with his clinical knowledge of ME has been able to avoid further action. He has been prepared to risk his own reputation, creating conflict with his peers and his medical directors, to stand up for families and challenge the authorities.

He has touched the lives of so many people with ME, he has made an enormous contribution putting ME on the medical map. What will we do without him? We have been extremely fortunate to have him living and working on our doorstep. We hope he will continue to help us with his skill and good counsel. He does deserve to take time out and relax a little (he may need some training in that department). He has many interests he may choose to pursue – but we fervently hope he will keep flying the flag for ME.

Thank you Nigel – you are one of life’s very special people.