Kathy Attawell Obituary

My friend Kathy Attawell, who has died abruptly aged 65, dedicated herself to improving nationalist wellness successful processing countries. Her contributions to nan HIV response, and to improving maternal and kid health, saved nan lives of thousands.

I met Kathy connected our first time astatine Exeter University successful October 1978 – she was lukewarm and funny, and her passion for societal justness was infectious. Kathy’s beardown principles led her to a profession successful wellness and world development. In nan 1980s she focused connected HIV and Aids, seeking to understand this caller illness - its spread, prevention and treatment.

In a pre-internet age, location was an urgent request for clear, applicable and meticulous information. As managing editor (1984-94) of nan newsletter Aids Action astatine nan Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG, now known arsenic Healthlink Worldwide), Kathy was astatine nan forefront of synthesising nan emerging technological and analyzable method data. She made accusation concise and readily useful to superior wellness workers, educators and communities.

In 1988 Kathy became a co-director of AHRTAG, and, moving pinch agencies specified arsenic nan World Health Organization, nan Joint United Nations Programme connected HIV and Aids, and partners successful nan world south, she made judge applicable accusation reached thousands globally from its offices successful London. Meanwhile, she was starring and mentoring colleagues, sharing her acquisition and knowledge, pinch kindness, reassurance and a dose of humour, instilling assurance and resilience.

In 1994 Kathy gained an MSc successful wellness promotion astatine nan London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, focusing connected strategies to trim nan vulnerability of young women to HIV and Aids successful sub-Saharan Africa. Over nan adjacent 30 years, moving first pinch nan British Council Overseas Development Administration successful India, and past arsenic an independent consultant, she collaborated pinch an extended world web of agencies connected designing and evaluating programmes to amended maternal and kid health.

Curiosity and empathy were basal devices of her trade, and helped Kathy build spot successful bid to question and reply susceptible individuals and navigate nan governmental and organisational complexities of world aid. Stories of being held astatine gunpoint gave a glimpse of nan courageousness needed to transportation retired fieldwork passim Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Raised successful Bromley, Kent, Kathy was nan eldest of nan 4 children of Jean (nee Thompson) and Robert Attawell, a Lloyd’s security broker. Kathy became caput woman of Ravensbourne schoolhouse for girls earlier going to Exeter University.

She was an adored aunt and godmother; pinch a fresh wit she built beardown friendships, sharing book, euphony and arts recommendations. She regularly cracked nan Guardian’s Friday cryptic crossword. Living latterly successful Greenwich, south-east London, she volunteered pinch nan Felix Project, a nutrient redistribution charity, and taught English to refugees.

She is survived by her sisters, Helen and Liz, and brother, Richard.