Dr Asif Hasan Receives Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award for Saving Thousands of Young Lives: British heart surgeon Asif Hasan has received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, held at Grosvenor House, London, recognising his extraordinary contribution to children’s heart surgery and transplantation.
Hasan, who retired earlier this year from Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, dedicated more than three decades to treating children with complex heart conditions. During his career, he performed more than 4,000 open-heart operations, including approximately 3,000 as lead surgeon.
Appointed consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Freeman Hospital in 1995, Hasan led its paediatric transplant programme and helped establish Newcastle as an internationally recognised centre for specialist children’s heart care. His pioneering work in heart transplantation and mechanical heart support helped more children survive while waiting for donor hearts.
Transforming Thousands of Lives
One of his patients, Seb Hollingsworth, underwent life-saving open-heart surgery at just four months old after being diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a serious congenital heart defect. Hasan later supported Seb through another open-heart operation at age 13.
Seb’s mother, Nadine Hollingsworth, praised the surgeon’s compassionate approach, saying his reassurance and dedication had made a lasting difference to the family.
Hasan also trained generations of surgeons who now work around the world and contributed to overseas charitable surgical camps, helping children in underserved communities access specialist treatment.
A Legacy Beyond the Operating Theatre
Hasan described caring for children and supporting their families as a privilege, crediting the dedicated teams at Freeman Hospital for their collective achievements.
NHS Chief Executive Sir James Mackey praised Hasan for saving thousands of lives, advancing paediatric transplantation and strengthening Newcastle’s reputation for specialist heart care.
The recognition celebrates not only Hasan’s surgical achievements but also his lasting influence on medical professionals, patients and families whose lives have been transformed by his work.
Although retired from clinical practice, Hasan’s legacy continues through the thousands of children he helped save and the surgeons he trained to carry forward his mission.
This year, Mr Hasan retired after 30 years as head of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. In his time there, he has transformed treatment for children with serious heart defects. He estimates that he has performed around 400 transplants across the course of his career.
