West Heath Old Girls Association

For those not yet aware, Anne Rodway, who was the West Heath School doctor for many years during the 80s and 90s, died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on 17 July 2020.

Many of the details included below appeared in a tribute on the WHOGA Facebook page at the time, but they are repeated here for anyone who is not on social media or who had not heard about Dr Rodway’s demise.

Some of you will have been fortunate to be on the school ski trip to Les Deux Alpes in the mid-80s when, because of the number of pupils who signed up for the trip (more than 50), Anne, who had replaced Dr Abelson as the school doctor, was invited along to take care of any illnesses or accidents.

Fortunately, there were none involving West Heath, but Anne was called into action when the coach driver from another school slipped over and banged his head. The driver insisted he was OK, but Anne diagnosed he was suffering from a concussion.

As a result of her advice, another driver was flown out to drive pupils and staff from the other school home on their coach.

In Sevenoaks itself, residents will remember Dr Anne Elizabeth Pauline Rodway M.B.B.S., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., DOBST., R.C.O.G., for her work as a general practitioner, and more importantly, her invaluable contribution to the initiation and development of the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

Her role in the introduction of Breast Screening in the UK won her many accolades and plaudits.

When she later left her position at the Amherst Medical Centre in Sevenoaks, Anne set up her own practice, known as Chantry Medical Practice in her own home opposite Sevenoaks School. This then moved into a new purpose-built surgery on the site of the former Vitasan Clinic in Sevenoaks.

Away from her medical duties, as well as skiing, Anne was an enthusiastic sailor and her considerable sailing exploits included an Atlantic crossing, and captaining her yacht ‘Witch Doctor’ in offshore racing – always with her huge smile on her face and always with her sense of humour.

A service was held at the Bluebell Cemetery in Halstead near Sevenoaks on Tuesday 4 August 2020 but because of Covid regulations, it was a family only private service.

People were invited to make a charity donation in Anne’s memory to Target Ovarian Cancer UK.

* The Times Newspaper included a fitting tribute to Dr Anne Rodway under the heading ‘Anne Rodway: Lively GP who raced yachts and crossed the Atlantic’.

Unfortunately it is now behind a pay wall, but if you are a subscriber to the newspaper you can read it by CLICKING HERE.