In Memoriam: Dr Valda Ahern FRACP
By Dr Edward Strivens
Valda Ahern was a much loved sister, aunt, friend, colleague, mentor, leader, inspiration and iconoclast.
It’s difficult to sum up the amazing and meaningful life that Valda led. She received her medical degree from the University of Queensland in the late 1950’s and following her Internship in Brisbane. She later moved to North America, where she worked in a number of diverse settings and specialities, including a Neurology Residency in New York State and time at the Medical Research Councils Epidemiology Research Unit in Jamaica in the West Indies.
She returned to Australia in the early 1980’s and completed Advanced Training in Geriatric Medicine, at Mount Royal, Melbourne under Dr Boyne Russell. Valda’s training in geriatric medicine was only two links away from Marjory Warren, the mother of Geriatric medicine. Valda did her training under Boyne Russell, who in turn had done her training under Tom Wilson who had been Marjory Warren’s registrar.
She received her FRACP in 1985 before moving from Victoria to Cairns in 1986 and over the next 20 years, Valda set up and ran regional geriatric services, initially in Cairns and then further units in Innisfail and Mareeba. She also established one of the first Aged Care Assessment Teams in Queensland. She set up intra-professional care before anyone knew what it was, providing rehab before we had a rehab unit and services closer to home 20 years before it became the latest thing.
In her role as a Senior Geriatrician and Director, her passion was for service delivery to the frail, older population of the Far North where she set up patient focussed and much needed services by any means available. This included the integration of multiple funding sources, even if it did mean she clashed with Execs on one or two occasions.
She was always one to speak truth to power and I remember her telling me that after running into obstacles here in Cairns, she called in the help of the then Queensland Premier, Mike Ahern, getting through to him directly by telling his office it was Mrs Ahern on the phone!
Valda was a dedicated wife and support to her beloved late husband Dr Eddie Ahern. She passionately cared for him both during his career and in later life as his health failed, spending long hours with him in hospital and with rehabilitation in the community.
She has been a mentor and inspiration to a generation of leaders and workers in Aged Care Services and Older Persons Health, across all health care disciplines, in the Far North and beyond, with a real talent for spotting and supporting clinicians passionate in aged care, with many of us here today because of Valda.
Valda’s contributions were recognised both locally and beyond. She was made an Honorary Life Member of the ANZSGM in 2010 and was awarded the RACP Medal for Clinical Services in Rural and Remote Services in 2011.
She continued to work in our Memory Clinic well into her 80’s, demonstrating what active ageing looks like, and it’s fitting that she spent her last weeks in the care of the service that she was so instrumental in creating.
Farewell Valda, we’ll all miss your intellect, passion, wit and determination. There will never be another like you here in Cairns.
