Year of birth: 1937

BIOGRAPHY

Bill Heald revolutionized rectal cancer surgery by developing the concept of Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) in the 1980s. His meticulous approach to dissection within the mesorectal fascia ("holy plane") dramatically reduced local recurrence rates and improved postoperative nerve preservation. Heald’s work has been a cornerstone in standardizing rectal cancer surgery worldwide, bridging oncological and functional outcomes.