The Compassion Salon: Lorna Marson and Mhairi Collie Event informationJoin us for an anniversary edition of The Compassion Salon, in collaboration with Edinburgh Medical School 300 and in honour of Women’s History Month.The Compassion Salon will host Lorna and Mhairi in a warm and reflective evening of meaningful conversation and shared insight into the importance of compassion in our lives.You will hear from Professor Lorna Marson, Professor or Transplant Surgery, and Miss Mhairi Collie, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, as they share insights on compassion in their work and life.After the conversation, there will be time for discussion and audience Q&A. Guests are welcome to purchase drinks at the bar throughout the evening.The Compassion Salon LinktreeSpeaker biographiesProfessor Lorna Marson is Professor of Transplant Surgery at the University of Edinburgh, and Honorary Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.Lorna has held leadership roles in transplantation, in surgical training and in undergraduate medicine. She was elected as the first female President of the British Transplantation Society (2017-2019) and was Co-Director of UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network until 2024. She was appointed as Non-Executive Director to the board of NHS Blood and Transplant in March 2024.Lorna is College Dean of Clinical Medicine and Deputy Head of College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh.Lorna is passionate about mentoring and supporting surgeons in training with a national and international profile in supporting and inspiring women in surgery. She has trained as an Executive coach to enhance this work. She is married with two children and spends as much of her spare time as possible on a bike.Miss Mhairi Collie is is a consultant colorectal surgeon in the Academic Department of Colorectal Surgery in Edinburgh. Since 2001, she has regularly undertaken surgery in sub-Saharan Africa treating women with obstetric related injuries. She worked for Médecins Sans Frontières initially, then in 2003 co-founded the charity “Uganda Childbirth Injury Fund”. This charity delivers surgical treatment for over 200 women annually. Mhairi currently volunteers for it for 5 weeks per year in Uganda, Angola and Madagascar. She felt very honoured to be recognised with a distinguished service medal from RCOG this year. She has recently published a novel to raise awareness and funding for obstetric fistula, called “The Bright Fabric of Life”.The Compassion SalonThe Compassion Salon is a literary salon which brings together authors, poets, comedians, musicians and other creatives to share their work and reflect on compassion in contemporary life. Recent salons at Steel Coulson Southside have featured conversations between, novelist Karen Campbell and musician Karine Polwart, as well as appearances by Hannah Lavery, Paul Gilbert, Deborah Ritchie, Ian Rankin, Gavin Francis and many others offering audiences a unique blend of narrative and performance.The Compassion Salon was founded by Dr Marti Balaam in 2019. Marti is a social entrepreneur, healthcare educationalist, social scientist and author who has worked in health, and social care education for many years. She is currently the student experience co lead for Edinburgh Medical School 300, a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education and Nursing Studies at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Professionalism within the undergraduate medical programme. She is passionate about the power of compassion and how we can integrate it into our lives and work to transform society. Marti works with Global partners to develop programmes of work, share new strategies on compassionate engagement and learn from global and local experiences of how other communities practice compassion.The Salon Marti says is 'a place for people to connect, inspire, and support using books and prose to reflect on human existence in a fragmented, challenging but wonderful world. Mar 09 2026 19.00 - 21.30 The Compassion Salon: Lorna Marson and Mhairi Collie Join the Compassion Salon with Professor Lorna Marson and Miss Mhairi Collie. Pleasance Cabaret Bar 60 Pleasance Edinburgh EH8 9TJ Book your place
The Compassion Salon: Lorna Marson and Mhairi Collie Event informationJoin us for an anniversary edition of The Compassion Salon, in collaboration with Edinburgh Medical School 300 and in honour of Women’s History Month.The Compassion Salon will host Lorna and Mhairi in a warm and reflective evening of meaningful conversation and shared insight into the importance of compassion in our lives.You will hear from Professor Lorna Marson, Professor or Transplant Surgery, and Miss Mhairi Collie, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, as they share insights on compassion in their work and life.After the conversation, there will be time for discussion and audience Q&A. Guests are welcome to purchase drinks at the bar throughout the evening.The Compassion Salon LinktreeSpeaker biographiesProfessor Lorna Marson is Professor of Transplant Surgery at the University of Edinburgh, and Honorary Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.Lorna has held leadership roles in transplantation, in surgical training and in undergraduate medicine. She was elected as the first female President of the British Transplantation Society (2017-2019) and was Co-Director of UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network until 2024. She was appointed as Non-Executive Director to the board of NHS Blood and Transplant in March 2024.Lorna is College Dean of Clinical Medicine and Deputy Head of College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh.Lorna is passionate about mentoring and supporting surgeons in training with a national and international profile in supporting and inspiring women in surgery. She has trained as an Executive coach to enhance this work. She is married with two children and spends as much of her spare time as possible on a bike.Miss Mhairi Collie is is a consultant colorectal surgeon in the Academic Department of Colorectal Surgery in Edinburgh. Since 2001, she has regularly undertaken surgery in sub-Saharan Africa treating women with obstetric related injuries. She worked for Médecins Sans Frontières initially, then in 2003 co-founded the charity “Uganda Childbirth Injury Fund”. This charity delivers surgical treatment for over 200 women annually. Mhairi currently volunteers for it for 5 weeks per year in Uganda, Angola and Madagascar. She felt very honoured to be recognised with a distinguished service medal from RCOG this year. She has recently published a novel to raise awareness and funding for obstetric fistula, called “The Bright Fabric of Life”.The Compassion SalonThe Compassion Salon is a literary salon which brings together authors, poets, comedians, musicians and other creatives to share their work and reflect on compassion in contemporary life. Recent salons at Steel Coulson Southside have featured conversations between, novelist Karen Campbell and musician Karine Polwart, as well as appearances by Hannah Lavery, Paul Gilbert, Deborah Ritchie, Ian Rankin, Gavin Francis and many others offering audiences a unique blend of narrative and performance.The Compassion Salon was founded by Dr Marti Balaam in 2019. Marti is a social entrepreneur, healthcare educationalist, social scientist and author who has worked in health, and social care education for many years. She is currently the student experience co lead for Edinburgh Medical School 300, a Senior Lecturer in Medical Education and Nursing Studies at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Professionalism within the undergraduate medical programme. She is passionate about the power of compassion and how we can integrate it into our lives and work to transform society. Marti works with Global partners to develop programmes of work, share new strategies on compassionate engagement and learn from global and local experiences of how other communities practice compassion.The Salon Marti says is 'a place for people to connect, inspire, and support using books and prose to reflect on human existence in a fragmented, challenging but wonderful world. Mar 09 2026 19.00 - 21.30 The Compassion Salon: Lorna Marson and Mhairi Collie Join the Compassion Salon with Professor Lorna Marson and Miss Mhairi Collie. Pleasance Cabaret Bar 60 Pleasance Edinburgh EH8 9TJ Book your place
Mar 09 2026 19.00 - 21.30 The Compassion Salon: Lorna Marson and Mhairi Collie Join the Compassion Salon with Professor Lorna Marson and Miss Mhairi Collie.
