June 2004

Kath Taylor: Our public health hero

The selfless dedication shown to others by Dr Kath Taylor was acknowledged by her family, church community, friends and members of Victoria’s public health profession at her recent funeral.

In a moving eulogy at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Brighton, mourners were told of Kath’s ability to put the needs of others above her own situation.

Delivering the eulogy, Dr John Carnie of the Department of Human Services’ Public Health branch said: ‘Anyone who would regard major abdominal surgery as a minor inconvenience, anyone who would regard chemotherapy as something you just pop in to have on the way to work, has got to be an extraordinary person.

‘Kath Taylor had this amazing capacity to be positive in relation to her own health and welfare.

‘Anything that came her way health-wise was never allowed to interfere with the main things in life such as family, church and work.’

Dr Carnie said Kath Taylor had made considerable contributions to public health in the areas of surveillance of infectious diseases, Q fever and meningococcal disease.

‘As a result of her work, Victoria has probably got the best Q fever immunisation rates in this country.

‘For many years, Kath made sure that a team of health department people went into abattoirs to immunise workers.

‘The abattoir owners had to pay for the vaccine and the blood test and she used to pester them until, in sheer desperation, they let her in.

‘It was interesting to see the rapport that developed between Kath and the young, burly abattoir workers who used to come out all covered in blood and meekly stick out their arms to have these tests and vaccines done.

‘Another area in which she really made a huge contribution was meningococcal disease as Kath made a very real difference to the way meningococcal is tackled in this state.

‘Many people would have been unaware of the many hours of her own time she spent counselling, consoling and advising the families of these very sick patients, many of whom were children.’

Dr Carnie said everyone in public health remembered Kath for her amazing capacity for work.

This came to a head when Kath turned 65 and special dispensation had to be sought for her to continue working.

After several years of making the case to keep her on because of her importance to the unit, the Director of Public Health said the situation couldn’t continue forever.

But Kath’s reply was blunt and typical.

‘Why not?’ she asked, indicating that she never had any intention of retiring.

‘As she got older, I gently suggested that she should think about slowing down a bit,’ Dr Carnie said.

‘She used to point to her desk and say: ‘Now, who do you think is going to do all this?’

‘And, of course, there was no one else who would do it with the same degree of thoroughness.

‘Kath Taylor was a great lady and we all loved and respected her,’ Dr Carnie said.