Obituary: Jane Hatfield, first CEO of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH)

Jane Hatfield, first CEO of the FSRH, has died, aged 53, from ovarian cancer.

Jane was a passionate advocate for women’s healthcare, a staunch feminist and a campaigner for LGBTQ+, as well as other charitable issues. She was known for her sharp intellect, sense of fun and sociability, compassion, strategic acumen, competitiveness in work and play, dry sense of humour, elegant fashion as well as effortless trademark curly blonde hairstyle; and perhaps above all, boundless positive energy and leadership.

Her passion for healthcare was inspired by working in Kenya in the late 90s, where she saw first-hand how discussing contraceptive choices with young women had a transformational impact on their lives. Across her career she also worked in several other non-profit organisations including leading roles in the HIV sector and for Breast Cancer Care.

She was recruited as FSRH’s first CEO in 2013 to lead a modernisation agenda. She used her professional expertise to remodel the organisation, playing a leading role in shaping both FSRH’s Vision and rebrand as a contemporary medical body with a multidisciplinary membership.

Jane loved working with FSRH’s passionate members, who shared her hunger for the organisation to realise its potential, ultimately improving the care patients receive. In particular, she spearheaded the organisation’s policy and influencing work, raising awareness of often-neglected areas in women’s healthcare by championing the voices of frontline healthcare professionals. That FSRH is now widely considered to be the leading voice in SRH in the UK is tribute to her craft. 

In recognition of her achievements, FSRH awarded Jane an Honorary Fellowship in March 2021. The award was presented to her at a thriving leaving event celebrating her significant contribution to both SRH and FSRH.

Jane enjoyed learning and following her undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford she also completed a Masters in Voluntary Sector Organisation at LSE and an MBA at Cranfield. She also gave her time to many causes as a volunteer including being the Chair of Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) since 2015.

Jane continued to work following her cancer diagnosis in early 2019, committing herself dynamically to her job, scarcely letting cancer, nor indeed a global pandemic stop her or FSRH along the way. She paused only for treatment and to spend quality time with those whom she loved, not least when she married her long-term partner, Gali, surrounded by friends and family.

She was keen to break down the taboos of talking about cancer and used her voice as a patient to help inform the work of healthcare professionals and charities involved in ovarian cancer care, while also raising the profile of both screening for, and living with this often terminal disease. Ever the completer-finisher, her efforts did not stop there, as she energetically involved herself in fundraising nearly £8000 for Ovacome, an ovarian cancer support charity who assisted Jane following her diagnosis.

Jane will be greatly missed by her colleagues, FSRH’s members, and the wider Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare community. Our thoughts are very much with Jane’s wife Gali, their children, Saul and Alma and everyone that knew and loved her.

Jane's funeral will take place on Monday 7th June 2021 at 11:30am.

We welcome you to join the service via streaming. Please connect a few minutes before the start.

Please click here if you would like to make a donation in memory of Jane.  Once on the page, click on the red 'Donate' button. Your donation will be split between three charities: Stonewall, Medecins sans Frontieres and St Christopher's Hospice.