Christine Murphy-Whyte:CHRISTINE MURPHY-WHYTE, who has died aged 58, was chairwoman of Europa Donna Ireland (EDI), the breast-cancer patient advocacy group.
A tireless campaigner, she sought evidence-based and best practice health policy changes to ensure access for all women to specialist health centres in Ireland.
Cancer specialist Prof Niall O’Higgins said everyone involved with breast cancer was in her debt and would miss her greatly.
“She was a heroic figure; the impact of her work will endure.”
Susan Knox, executive director of Europa Donna, described Christina as a “committed, dedicated advocate who fought the disease with grace and fortitude until the very end”.
Born in Dublin in 1951, she was the eldest of six children of Peter Whyte and his wife Gisela (née Horle). Her mother, from Frankfurt, met her father, from Co Wicklow, while working as a governess in Dublin.
She grew up in Monkstown and attended Rockford Manor secondary school.
She studied social sciences at University College Dublin, graduating in 1971. A decade later she resumed her studies in social administration and was awarded an MSoc.Sc in 1982.
Her first job was researching alcohol abuse among Irish emigrants to Britain.
Returning to Ireland, she worked with the National Rehabilitation Board, helping young people with disabilities to find employment.
She next worked for the training agency AnCo, and was project leader during the year of the disabled (1981). By 2005 she was head of policy and public affairs with the rehabilitation board’s successor body, the National Disability Authority. However, illness forced her to take early retirement.
Her breast cancer was discovered by BreastCheck and she became a strong advocate of access to screening for every woman in Ireland between the ages of 50 and 69.
She joined EDI when its first national conference, Best Results for Women, was at the planning stage. Her administrative talents and experience played no small part in the success of that conference. She also was central to the success of the second national conference in 2008, Surviving Breast Cancer.
She became chairwoman of EDI and oversaw the publication of a number of information documents, culminating in 9 Things You Should Know About Breast Cancer, for which EDI won the Crystal Clear Literacy Award.
In 2007 she was elected to the board of Europa Donna, the European breast cancer coalition. Vice- president at the time of her death, she was due to assume the presidency later this year. She brought great enthusiasm to her work with the group.
“I’m learning so much and enjoying the opportunity to use my skills and experience in a complex cause with committed and compassionate women.”
She undertook other voluntary work. A member of the St John of God research committee, she also worked with the Bank of Ireland millennium fund.
A loving wife and mother, she enjoyed cooking and travel. Her husband Michael and sons Stephen, Darren and Jason survive her.
Christine Murphy-Whyte: born December 5th, 1951; died August 20th, 2010.