The Oxford artist who honoured her cancer surgeon with portrait

A surgeon who celebrates 40 years of his career says he had been "touched" to have a portrait painted by a former patient.

Oxford-based artist Ruth Swain was 50 when diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and was referred to Dr Gerald Gui at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

Swain said that despite the "shock" of the diagnosis, he had been "wonderful and explained everything really, really clearly", and a successful surgery had followed.

Now, almost 15 years since being cancer-free, she has donated her portrait of Gui to the hospital, which he described as "magnificent".

The artist said she went for the hospital check after having felt a lump.

"At the time I think it was a bit of a blur because you just don't expect to get cancer, so it was all quite a shock."

Swain described Gui as having been "very encouraging" and that she was "so grateful" to him.

She said her surgery involved cutting around her nipple to remove the cancer which she said "wasn't as big as it might have appeared on the surface".

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In 2018, she met fellow artist and friend Paul Starns, with whom she later developed an exhibition at The Art Academy in London in October 2025 that raised funds for cancer charities.

"We wanted to show that there was hope and it wasn't just people that had had breast cancer," Swain said.

Her surgeon was among the 16 women and men they painted, who have had breast cancer or have been involved with someone who had.

"He's such an amazing man and he's so committed to what he does," Swain said.

"I've been going back to see him for check-ups for the last 14 years, so I feel I know him quite well now."

Gui also takes part in fundraising events for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity which supports breakthrough research, patient care and education.

On Saturday, he was part of the Thames Towpath Challenge, when he said a number of colleagues had raised just over £9,000.

In 2026, Gui, who has been a consultant breast surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital, also marks 40 years with the NHS.

He said he had been "quite touched" to find out he would be one of the portrait exhibition subjects.

"My first thought was one of privilege and honour and then when [Ruth] came and we talked a bit more about this, I also got to know her a lot more in that time.

"And it's quite funny, I think, sometimes when you see yourself in a mirror that's not quite a mirror."

He said he was now "used to seeing myself on the canvas".

Gui said he would like to acknowledge "the vast amount of work that many people do in raising money for charity and the patients that we treat and their relatives".

His portrait now hangs on the main staircase in the centre of the hospital almost adjacent to a portrait of its founder, Dr William Marsden.

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