Alison Bigrigg, former President of the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) from 2001 to 2005, died on 10 April 2013 in Glasgow, UK aged 54 years, following a relapse of leukaemia.

Alison was born on 26 September 1958 in Cumbria, UK. She attended Kendrick School in Reading where, although she was academically gifted, she showed sporting prowess from an early age. Alison excelled in hockey and golf, and throughout her adult life developed further sporting interests including running, squash, skiing and was a qualified rugby coach.

Alison studied medicine at Southampton University, graduating in 1982, and then achieving her doctorate in 1992. She trained in general surgery and gynaecology, obtaining FRCS and MRCOG. Her first consultant post in 1992 was in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Bristol, where she was also Senior Lecturer at Bristol University.

From an early stage in her career, Alison's drive to develop patient-centred care was apparent. As a registrar, Alison noted the delay in diagnosis and resultant distress experienced by women presenting with threatened miscarriage. She piloted a rapid-access early pregnancy …