Nearly 50 years after his first cancer surgery, William Farrar, MD, has performed his final operation at Ohio State. Farrar is retiring from surgical practice at the OSUCCC – James — though he will continue in his position as CEO — closing out a 46-year career that’s made an immeasurable impact on the lives of countless patients and colleagues in the Buckeye State. Farrar, who’s been on The James’ faculty since its 1990 opening, has performed more than 20,000 procedures over his storied career (he’s treated every cancer except brain cancer) while mentoring a generation of surgical oncologists who now practice at hospitals around the nation. Farrar first came to Ohio State as a resident in 1976, where he met his mentor, Dr. Arthur G. James. The two eventually partnered on a surgical practice based at the university which would one day house the cancer center that would bear James’ name, and would eventually lead Farrar to focus on breast cancer as his area of surgical expertise. “The norm before 1990 was to operate on all types of cancer,” Farrar says. “It wasn’t until The James opened that we started to specialize.” More than 30 years later, Farrar steps away from the operating room with a lifetime of memories while leaving a legacy of dedication to cancer patients that has set a standard of excellence at The Ohio State University. “The number-one lesson I’ve passed on is that the patient is always number one,” Farrar says. “They’re going through tough experiences, and you really have to take time to listen to them. So many of my patients have become like family.” As he wraps up his career as a surgeon, Farrar, who’s held a number of leadership positions at The James — division chief of surgical oncology, director of medical affairs and director of the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center among them — will continue to lead Ohio State’s work to create a cancer-free world — a mission he exemplified in the operating room, one patient at a time, for 46 years. “It is because of Dr. James that I am here, and I have always remained here because of the people,” he says. “What we do is so incredibly special, and I’m honored to be a part of our cancer team. I truly believe in what we do, and for that opportunity, I am deeply grateful. “I’ve been here my whole life. I love The James.”