Late Associate Professor Susan Baddeley recognised with Queen’s Birthday honour

WHEN the late Associate Professor Susan Baddeley passed away two years ago she left behind a legacy that continues today

Dr Stephen Baddeley with pictures of Susan, who has been honoured in the Queen's Birthday list. Pic Katrina Bridgeford.

WHEN the late Associate Professor Susan Baddeley passed away two years ago she left behind a legacy that continues today.

Professor Baddeley, married to Dr Stephen Baddeley, has been recognised with an Officer (AO) in the General Division for her distinguished service to child health as an academic and researcher, to neonatal paediatric medicine, and to the Indigenous community of the Northern Territory.

Husband Stephen said he and his four children are proud of the recognition given posthumously in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

“The whole family is very proud and I think it is well deserved for the work she did,” Dr Baddeley said.

“The largest contribution she made was the Aboriginal Birth Cohort in which she followed 680 Indigenous babies from birth through into their adult life over 30 years.

“This the longest study of its kind in the world.

“What has come from this study has enormous relevance to our Indigenous population and countries like us that have Indigenous populations.

“The things to come from the studies have had worldwide significance. Susan then developed Health Lab, which is a unit that goes to various communities where the aim is to teach children things they should avoid in life to help it to be a better one. Like not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol and not getting obese and taking exercise.

“All this is an ongoing legacy. Health Lab is going from strength to strength travelling around the Territory talking to kids on lifestyle choices to avoid later health problems.”

Apart from being founder and researcher of the Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study, Professor Baddeley was a Principal Research Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research.

She was a State finalist in the Australian of the Year in 2012 and Senior Australian of the Year finalist in 2013.