Professor Mike Rigby: A Lifetime Advancing Paediatric Cardiology

Professor Mike Rigby is one of the most influential figures in paediatric cardiology, with a career spanning over four decades. In this conversation with Nara, he reflects on the sweeping transformation of children's heart care — from an era of limited diagnostics and high-risk surgery to today's advanced imaging, interventional techniques, and dramatically improved survival rates.Drawing on his experience at the Royal Brompton Hospital, he discusses pioneering procedures, the rise of echocardiography, and the ongoing debate between intervention and surgery in congenital heart disease. He also speaks to the deeply human side of medicine: communicating with anxious families, the passion behind teaching, and the privilege of mentoring cardiologists from around the world.The episode closes with reflections on legacy, the role of genetics in the field's future, and what a life in medicine ultimately means.Aimed at clinicians, trainees, and students, it serves as both a history of paediatric cardiology and a guide to its future.