Barbara Ansell
Encyclopedia
Barbara Mary Ansell CBE
, FRCP
, FRCS
(30 August 1923 – 14 September 2001) was the founder of paediatric rheumatology
.
Born in Warwick
, Warwickshire, England, and educated at King's High School for Girls
there, Ansell qualified at Birmingham
in 1946 and did her post-graduate training at Hammersmith
. In 1951 she was appointed as registrar to Professor Eric Bywaters at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
, Taplow, Buckinghamshire
, where she did research on heart disease
in rheumatic fever
.
In 1962, she was appointed clinical physician in rheumatology at Taplow. Appointed head of Division of Rheumatology at the Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park Hospital
in 1976. Awarded a scholarship to study in Chicago
at the Research and Education Hospital as a research fellow. Awarded the CBE
in 1982. Recognised with a Visiting Professorship at Leeds
in 1997.
Ansell was based at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
, specialising in the research and treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
. She developed a classification system for childhood arthritis. While focusing on treatment of the disease, she recognised the importance of maintaining educational and social skills in young patients.
She pioneered a team system of professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists
, nurses, teachers, social workers, ophthalmologists
, orthopaedic surgeons, dentists, and podiatrists in order to treat and manage her patients.
"During her life she made a major contribution to the understanding of children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and in developing services to treat them in the United Kingdom. Her influence was not restricted to this country, and by the time she retired from the Health Service
in 1988, she was the world leader in the care of childhood arthritis."
Ansell was author of over 360 papers in adult and paediatric rheumatology and was an honorary member or fellow of over 16 national and international societies.
Ansell died from ovarian cancer
, aged 78, and a memorial service was held in Southwark Cathedral
on 16 February 2002. Her husband, Angus Weston, predeceased her. They had no children.
After her death, a new science building at the Kings High School for Girls was named in her honour.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRCP
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, FRCS
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
(30 August 1923 – 14 September 2001) was the founder of paediatric rheumatology
Rheumatology
Rheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, devoted to diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Clinicians who specialize in rheumatology are called rheumatologists...
.
Born in Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, Warwickshire, England, and educated at King's High School for Girls
The King's High School For Girls
The King's High School for Girls is an independent school for girls in Smith Street, Warwick, England. There are currently 700 girls in years 7-13...
there, Ansell qualified at Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in 1946 and did her post-graduate training at Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
. In 1951 she was appointed as registrar to Professor Eric Bywaters at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
The Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, was a pre-war civilian hospital and a centre for research into rheumatism in children...
, Taplow, Buckinghamshire
Taplow
Taplow is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the east bank of the River Thames facing Maidenhead on the opposite bank. Taplow railway station is situated near the A4 south of the village....
, where she did research on heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
.
In 1962, she was appointed clinical physician in rheumatology at Taplow. Appointed head of Division of Rheumatology at the Clinical Research Centre at Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital is a large hospital in the northwest corner of the London Borough of Brent in Greater London, England.-Hospital role:...
in 1976. Awarded a scholarship to study in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
at the Research and Education Hospital as a research fellow. Awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1982. Recognised with a Visiting Professorship at Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in 1997.
Ansell was based at the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital
The Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, was a pre-war civilian hospital and a centre for research into rheumatism in children...
, specialising in the research and treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of persistent arthritis in children. JIA is a subset of arthritis seen in childhood, which may be transient and...
. She developed a classification system for childhood arthritis. While focusing on treatment of the disease, she recognised the importance of maintaining educational and social skills in young patients.
She pioneered a team system of professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
, nurses, teachers, social workers, ophthalmologists
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, orthopaedic surgeons, dentists, and podiatrists in order to treat and manage her patients.
"During her life she made a major contribution to the understanding of children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and in developing services to treat them in the United Kingdom. Her influence was not restricted to this country, and by the time she retired from the Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
in 1988, she was the world leader in the care of childhood arthritis."
Ansell was author of over 360 papers in adult and paediatric rheumatology and was an honorary member or fellow of over 16 national and international societies.
Ansell died from ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
, aged 78, and a memorial service was held in Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
on 16 February 2002. Her husband, Angus Weston, predeceased her. They had no children.
After her death, a new science building at the Kings High School for Girls was named in her honour.
External links
- http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/324/7342/920/b/DC1
- http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1122298