Jim Madigan was one of a family of four of Irish parents. He was born in Melbourne and first attended school at Mt Carmel School in Albert Park. At the age of seven his parents took the family back to Ireland for three years where Jim attended school in Limerick. Following his return to Melbourne Jim went to St. Kevin’s College in Toorak and finished as Dux of the school. Jim had originally intended to be a lawyer but at age 17 he choose to do medicine. His medical course at the Melbourne University was interrupted because of scarlet fever and he finished one year later than expected in 1945.

Following graduation he became a resident medical officer at St Vincent’s Hospital during 1945 and 1946 followed by four years as a registrar at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg. He gained his MD Melbourne in 1950 obtaining top place in the second part examination. It was at the Austin Hospital that Jim first met and was influenced by Dr Kaye-Scott who persuaded him to devote his medical career to the field of radiotherapy. In doing so he was one of the first in the state to become a specialist in radiotherapeutic medicine as his predecessors had combined radiology and radiotherapeutics in the one field. He could be said to have been a pioneer in his chosen field together with his colleagues Dr Robin Kerr and Dr H Van Den Brenk. Following his registrar years at the Austin Hospital Jim undertook further training under Dr Kaye Scott’s tutelage firstly for a short time at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and then at the Peter McCallum Clinic when it opened in l951.

It was in 1951 that Jim and Betty were married and soon afterwards they departed for the United Kingdom where Jim undertook a period of training in Manchester. On returning to Melbourne he took up an appointment as full time radiotherapist at the Peter McCallum Clinic. During these early years he continued his studies gaining his MRACP, followed by the Fellowship in 1963. In addition he gained the Diploma of Therapeutic Radiology in 1953 and fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Radiologists in 1957. After completing his studies he was appointed as Honorary Radiotherapist to St Vincent’s Hospital in 1958 in charge of the Outpatient’s Clinic and the Inpatient services until his retirement in l984.

During his years at the Peter McCallum Clinic as well as providing the general Radiotherapeutic services, Jim concentrated his energies in the special fields of Hodgkin’s disease including lymphoma and cancer of the head and neck. He ran special clinics devoted to the study and treatment of these diseases and was responsible for the significant advances in the management of these conditions, which took place during the 1970’s and the 1980’s. He would also advance the practice of his specialty by regular visits to country areas and towns where he would conduct clinics and give lectures in places such as Mildura, Shepparton and Ballarat establishing a wide referral base for the Clinic and for his private practice which he carried on at St Andrews Hospital after he had retired from St. Vincent’s. His attendances at overseas meetings and his contributions to the literature reflected his deep and abiding interest in his particular fields of expertise. At the 1969 International Conference on Radiology and Radiotherapy Jim gave papers and chaired the section on radiation oncology.

Such were Jim’s administrative abilities that he was appointed as assistant medical director at the Clinic in 1966 and towards the end of his active career he became the director of medical services.

Jim and Betty had no family of their own but they devoted considerable time and energy to the care of their nephews and nieces and maintained a close association with their church's activities. It was unfortunate that in his latter years he was afflicted with an intractable disease, which placed severe restrictions on his activities, and this together with Betty’s demise resulted in his retirement from active clinical and social life.

Jim Madigan was an intellectual with a quiet and reserved personality allied however with a quick and thoroughly enjoyable wit. He was a champion handball player in his youth but in his later years devoted his sporting interests to the support of the South Melbourne Football Club with a passing interest in cricket and some participation in the game of golf.

Jim was a true physician to whom patients and their care came first and in his field where serious disease and death played major roles he was not only the “treating doctor” but in addition he was a counsellor, confidant and friend to whom countless patients owed an extended and better quality of life. His indomitable character and pursuit of excellence in care gave to many people the confidence and hope implicit in the management and enjoyment of the last years of their lives. His colleagues will remember his attitude to cancer in the introduction and skilful use of the new technologies which became available during his life and for his role in the establishment of a state wide radiotherapeutic service which is admired both nationally and overseas.