Paediatrician Dr Bruce Lewis will be hanging up the stethoscope this year after 35 years of caring for children at The Wesley Hospital.

Dr Lewis was instrumental in creating Wesley Maternity Services and the Special Care Unit which has welcomed tens of thousands of Brisbane babies into the world since January 1988.

“The unit has been designed with the upmost care for mothers and babies in mind, we have our Special Care Unit right next to the birth suites for babies born before term or those who need extra care,” Dr Lewis said.

“Our paediatric services are designed to support children from birth till adulthood which includes trained physicians in our emergency department and a dedicated children’s ward in the hospital.

“I am very proud of the service we have built, so much so we are seeing mothers who themselves were born here coming back to have their own babies.

“It’s been wonderful to watch the unit grow over 35 years and a joy and privilege to work on a daily basis with parents and children.”

His bond with Wesley Maternity is so tight he has not only been there from the start as a paediatrician, his son and grandson were born there as well.

Mother, Nikki Rathbone welcomed triplets Tom, Isla and Louie on 13 July 2015 at just 32 weeks old, the babies stayed in the Special Care Unit under the watchful eye of Dr Lewis for seven weeks.

“The triplets are turning eight years old and they are absolutely thriving, I credit their good health to Dr Lewis who took such amazing care of them,” Nikki said.

Clinical Nurse Manager of The Wesley Hospital Paediatrics Ward Sonia Broadby said that Dr Lewis was like family and will be missed.

“He is an exceptional man who develops an instant rapport with children, you can see it in his face when he is interacting with a child, I believe this is what makes him an exceptional doctor,” Sonia said.

“We are very sad to see him go but we are so proud of the legacy which he has left for us here, we are hoping younger Paediatricians will follow in his footsteps.”