Dr Moya Cole

Without Moya Cole’s vision and determination there would be no St Ann’s Hospice.

Dr Moya Cole OBE was one of the founders of our Heald Green hospice in Stockport back in 1971 and was instrumental in the decision for St Ann’s to open a second hospice in Little Hulton in Salford in 1979. She later served as Deputy Chair and Chair of St Ann’s Hospice.

Moya was highly accomplished and a trailblazer for women – graduating with a BSc degree in physics from Queen’s University in Belfast way back in 1939 and earning an even more impressive MSc a year later.

This would be a huge achievement for someone these days, let alone for a young woman so many decades ago.

She became a consultant in Radiotherapy and Oncology at what was then the Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute and ran the first clinical trials in the use of the drug Tamoxifen for breast cancer patients.

According to Professor John Crown writing in The Irish Times: “Dr Cole is the great unsung heroine of Irish cancer research. She carried out the most influential piece of work ever done by an Irish cancer researcher, which has probably saved more than a million lives worldwide.”

Most importantly for the history of St Ann’s Hospice, it was Moya Cole who campaigned tirelessly for the need for hospice care for the people of Greater Manchester.

Our long history of caring for people impacted by life-limiting illnesses in our community all starts with her.

Memories of Moya Cole

She was gentle, empathetic with her patients, her relatives and junior doctors. She was very clear thinking and insisted that everyone remain calm and she let logic dictate her work. Robin Hunter, Former director at The Christie and colleague of Moya Cole

She was a very unassuming lady, authoritative, and very highly thought of. She sensitively and kindly described to me and my family what we were to expect in the future days, regarding the care and attention of my terminally ill mum. Barbara Irvine, St Ann's Hospice supporter

She was a trailblazer. Everything about her, she was a woman who was well respected and knew the importance of her work. Liz Waring, Nurse, The Being You Centre at St Ann's Hospice

You walked past her in the halls and she’s someone I looked up to, someone we all looked up to, she was a role model for young nurses such as ourselves. Kathy Edwards, St Ann's Hospice Inpatient Unit

Hear more from some of the people who knew and admired Dr Moya Cole here.

Do you have any memories of Moya Cole that you could share with us? We would love to hear from you – please get in touch with the Communications Team at communications@sah.org.uk, or by calling the hospice on 0161 437 8136.

The Legacy of Moya Cole

1918 Born in Cavan, Ireland

1939 Studied a BSc Physics Degree at Queen’s University Belfast

Photo credit: Queen’s University Belfast

1948 Graduated from Queen’s University Belfast as a Medical Practitioner

1950 Moved to Manchester to work at what was then the Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute

1955 Became a consultant in Radiotherapy and Oncology

Early 1960s First person to give Tamoxifen to breast cancer patients as part of clinical trials

1967 Dr Cole and then Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev Dr William Greer, had the idea for a hospice for the people of Greater Manchester

1969 St Ann’s Hospice, Heald Green founded

1971 Heald Green site officially opened by the Queen Mother

1977 Became Deputy Chair of St Ann’s Hospice

1979 Further campaigning from Dr Cole ensures the opening of our second site in Little Hulton

1983 Became Chair of St Ann’s Hospice

1990 Awarded OBE

1992 Moya Cole Day Care Centre opened at Little Hulton

2004 Died in Newcastle, Co. Down