Sevda Hassan, MBBS, BMedSci (Hons) MRCP (Lon), MD(Res)

September 1983 - February 2022

It is with unimaginable sadness that we announce the death of our dear friend and colleague Sevda.

Sevda graduated from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008 and completed her training in Renal Medicine across several North London hospitals, including the Royal London Hospital. She undertook a successful period of research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust looking at immune responses post renal transplantation, resulting in a number of important publications. She also made an international name for herself through her involvement in the European Society of Organ Transplantation, most recently in her role as Chair of the Young Professionals Group. She took up her post as a substantive consultant at Barts Health in March 2021, with a specific focus in renal transplantation and ongoing research development.

Even more than her brilliant mind and promising academic career, however, Sevda was loved for her abundant enthusiasm, extreme loyalty, and endless quest for excellence and equity in the care she provided. She was strong, passionate and kind-hearted, with the most infectious laugh. She saw potential in everything and everyone, and constantly sought to improve the world around her. She will leave a huge void in our department where she should have flourished for many years to come.

She inspired younger doctors to pursue a career in nephrology, and in her last year as an SpR was a key figure in leading the response to the COVID-19 at the North Middlesex Hospital, being particularly supportive of younger colleagues in such a difficult time. Such was the respect and love the SpRs there had for her, that when she left to take up her consultant post, they started a “Sevda FanClub” WhatsApp group to remember her and continue to follow her example. Never for a moment did they think they would be remembering her as we have all had to do this week - yet another group of colleagues and friends left bereft by her untimely death.

She leaves behind her parents, sister and brother. Her family have created a page in her memory - https://sevdahassan.muchloved.com/

Tribute by Suzanne Forbes, Royal London