Dr. Winston 'Freddie' Clarke. - Contributed

Dr. Winston 'Freddie' Clarke has for more than two decades been a pioneer in the Jamaican medical field.

He has been a confidant to many and a lifesaver for hundreds.

Dr. Clarke was the first to introduce several modern medical procedures and equipment not only to Jamaica, but also to the English-speaking Caribbean.

In 1983, Dr. Clarke brought the first breast cancer detection machine to the English-speaking Caribbean. He also introduced the multi-detector Computerised Tomography Scanner to the English-speaking Caribbean, and was also the individual who introduced ultrasound examinations to the region in 1981.

Born and raised in Linstead, St. Catherine, Dr. Clarke attended the St. Jago High School in Spanish Town and then went on to study medicine at the University of the West Indies.

He graduated from that institution in 1971 and went on to study radiology at the University of Florida in the United States. He worked at the Kingston Public Hospital and University Hospital of the West Indies between 1976 and 1985.

Now, the 58-year-old general radiologist spends his days at the radiology centre that he owns on Ripon Road in St. Andrew. It was the first modern radiology centre ever established in Jamaica. On an average day, Dr. Clarke works from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seeing about 30 patients.

He is married to Ilene and has two sons. For his pioneering work in medicine and, in particular, radiology, Dr. Winston Clarke is one of this year's recipients of the Gleaner Honour Award.