(L-R) Peter Cackett, Bal Dhillion, Justin Chater, Samuel Verdin, David Livingston.
Coming to the end of our 30th volume of Eye News three decades in the making, we arrive at a new junction in the magazine’s editorial history: our beloved Baljean Dhillon, who has co-steered the editorial helm of Eye News for over 11 years, is moving on to greener pastures, and stepping into the light is a dear friend to the magazine that many of you will know: Peter Cackett.
While he officially took the reigns of the publication in October 2012, alongside amigo and co-editor Tariq Aslam, Baljean’s first appearance in Eye News was in its fourth ever issue, published in November 1994, as an author contributing an article entitled HIV / AIDS and Eye Disease. Helping navigate us through four national elections, Brexit and a global pandemic – and perhaps the lesser-known first captured image of a black hole (the world did not go mad, but a lot of physicists did) – Baljean continued to uphold the quality and progression of Eye News, keeping at its heart the objective of promoting students, trainees and the doctors of tomorrow.
With all this in mind, when one editor leaves the publication, another arrives, and we couldn’t be happier to warmly welcome someone we expect you are already familiar with: Peter Cackett.
Peter’s Pete’s Bogus Journey articles have been a healthy feature of Eye News for a while now, and the positive feedback we receive on them only goes to show how the magazine benefits from having such personal and anecdotal insights. Not only that, but Peter authors some of our most popular interviews – his ability to discover and track down eye doctors with incredible back stories and ‘side hustles’ continues to impress, and without wanting to give any spoilers, the next one is all about speed!
In preparation for the editorial handover, I reached out to both Peter and current co-editor, David Lockington, and our Publisher Justin Chater, to get their thoughts on the coming change.
“It is three years now since Professor Bal Dhillon suggested that I contribute a regular column for Eye News and take readers on a bogus journey through my career in medicine. I was therefore delighted recently when he then suggested that I take over his role as Co-editor alongside David Lockington. Bal’s shoes will be hard to fill but I am hoping that it will be an excellent adventure, and in the words of William ‘Bill’ S. Preston and Theodore ‘Ted’ Logan: ‘This should be most triumphant!’”
– Peter Cackett, Co-editor
“In February 1964, one B. Dylan told us that “the times, they are a-changin”. 60 years later, the other famous B. Dhillon announced a similar sentiment, that he has reached the “end of the line.” I am grateful for how Bal, like Bob, provided such a varied soundtrack over many years while remaining “forever young.” We will “handle with care” his great legacy, with Peter Cackett “bringing it all back home” through joining me at the mixing desk of Eye News.”
– David Lockington, Co-editor
“I first met Bal on a wet Saturday morning in 2011 at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel during a conference hosted by Heidelberg. I sat beside him during lunch. Easy to talk to and full of ideas and questions, ‘he would make a good editor’, I thought. The following year, Winfried Amoaku confirmed he wanted to step down as Editor of Eye News. My immediate thought as a replacement was Bal. I contacted him, popped over to the Eye Pavillion and over a cup of coffee, we put a plan together which involved Tariq Aslam as a co-partner in crime, and the rest is history.”
– Justin Chater, Publisher
