In memoriam: Professor Sir David Todd

17 August 2017

Professor Sir David Todd passed away on 16 August 2017, aged 89.

Professor Sir David Todd died on 16 August 2017, aged 89.

Professor Sir David Todd was appointed to the trusteeship of the Croucher Foundation by Lord Todd in 1994. An internationally recognised haematologist, Sir David was known scientifically for his work on the demographic distribution, clinical features and molecular characteristics of thalassaemea.

Sir David was Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong from 1974 to 1989. Under his leadership the Department gained strength: adding new specialisms including clinical pharmacology and neurology, developing new areas of medical research, and building enduring partnerships including, for example, a partnership with the Royal College of Physicians which allowed for the first time the full MRCP (UK) examination to be held outside the UK.

Sir David was the founding President of the Hong Kong College of Physicians, founding President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and, in additional to his trusteeship of the Croucher Foundation, served on the boards of the Sino-British Fellowship Trust and the S.K. Yee Medical Foundation.

Sir David’s wisdom and visionary leadership will be very deeply missed by the students, doctors and scientists, including many Croucher scholars, he taught over the years. His kindness, his courage and his commitment to education and medicine in Hong Kong are an inspiration to us all.