Susan Elizabeth KNIBBS

Susan Knibbs is daughter of Bernard Robert Knibbs of Banstead, Surrey, and granddaughter of Henry Knibbs, who was Head Master of Banstead Village School from 1862 to 1904. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 in recognition of her services to people with disabilities.

She served for many years at the British Diabetic Association (since renamed Diabetes UK), latterly as Director of Care Services from 1985 to 1993. During the 1960's she had initiated the BDA's professional services section, to extend the BDA's educational work within the healthcare professions.

After her retirement as Director of Care Services at Diabetes UK, she acted as a trustee of the organisation.

Susan's obituary appeared in The Guardian Newspaper on 15 March 2006.

Susan Knibbs

Susan Knibbs, who has died aged 72, transformed a lifelong struggle with insulin-dependent diabetes, which struck when she was aged four, into an impetus and a tool with which to help others. For many years, she worked for the British Diabetic Association (BDA, now Diabetes UK), focusing on ways to help people with diabetes lead full and independent lives.

During the 1960s she started a BDA professional services section to recruit members from professions ancillary to medicine. Later, she directed and overhauled the association's care services.

She was anxious that pioneering efforts to bring diabetic expertise into the homes of those with the condition should be remembered, and published the memoirs of Dr Joan Walker, whose work at Leicester Royal infirmary from the 1940s first made use of diabetic health visitors.

In 1989 Susan was a founder and first chairman of the Long-Term Medical Conditions Alliance (LMCA), seeing it as providing essential help in the task of making governmental authorities aware of peoples' needs. Between two terms of service at the BDA, Susan, a qualified social worker, undertook child protection work with emotional insight and kindness, After retiring as BDA director of care services, she helped develop links between the association and diabetic professionals in eastern Europe. She was also member and deputy chairman of the disability living allowance advisory board. In 2000, she was appointed CBE.

Susan's delights included music and gardening. She was an enthusiastic amateur choral singer, and supported the London Choral Society as secretary. She found contentment in her small garden and allotment in Wimbledon, south London. In 2002, Susan suffered breast cancer. After surgery, she became infected in hospital with MRSA. Thanks, in part, to lifelong diligence in managing her own diabetes, she survived. She bore everything with characteristic courage. She is survived by her sister Jill and her partner since 1974, Terry Stancliffe..

Susan Elizabeth KNIBBS, CBE - 1933-2006