The trailblazing clinician, researcher, and mentor leaves a legacy of dedication, innovation, and inspiration in the field of allergy medicine.
Australia’s allergy and clinical immunology community is mourning the loss of Dr Diana Bass, who passed away on 27 September at the age of 95.
The trailblazing clinician, researcher and mentor, Dr Bass leaves a legacy of dedication, innovation and inspiration in the field of allergy medicine.
Dr Bass was a foundation member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and served as its secretary from 1998 to 2000, a period during which she was involved with significant modernisation efforts.
This included commissioning of the ASCIA logo – which is still in use today – and overseeing the transition of educational resources online.
She also helped develop the Hayfever and Allergy Information Service, an initiative that laid the groundwork for ASCIA’s widely respected online publications.
In a statement, ASCIA CEO Jill Smith paid tribute to Dr Bass, whom she first met in 1999 when the former was recruited to become the inaugural ASCIA education project officer.
“Diana was an inspiring person and clinician, who will be greatly missed but very fondly remembered,” said Ms Smith.
“Diana was a delight to work with, and I particularly enjoyed her stories about when she was studying medicine in London after the war.
“She was a pioneer at that time and faced many challenges, but was so positive and energetic in her approach to study, work and life, which continues to inspire me.”
Former ASCIA president (1998-2000), Associate Professor Ron Walls AM, also shared his memories of Dr Bass.
“Diana was born in Torquay Devon in 1930, and with her family, she endured the rigors of the war years and the blitz,” he wrote in the ASCIA tribute.
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“She went to Medical School at St Marys in London after the war, at a time when very few women were admitted to Medicine. As an intern there, she met Peter Bass who was her registrar.
“They were married and enjoyed a wonderful married life together for over 60 years. Peter passed away five years ago and Diana missed him very much.”
Professor Walls said Dr Bass made lasting contributions to allergy research, particularly in aerobiology, through pioneering pollen studies in NSW, the identification of regional allergens and the advancement of understanding of conditions affecting patients across the country.
Her work extended to laboratory studies on allergens, collaborations with notable scientists, and international investigations supported by a Churchill Fellowship.
Beyond her clinical and research achievements, Dr Bass was a devoted matriarch to four children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, he said.
“Diana was an energetic and forceful character who got things done. Apart from her many achievements and major contribution to Allergy and Clinical Immunology, she was active in other areas too,” said Professor Walls.
“She was heavily involved in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship which allowed her to travel abroad to a number of Allergy Units in Europe, the United Kingdom and North America.
After their retirement the couple had moved to Bega to be closer to their son Simon who is head of respiratory medicine at Bega Hospital.
“Diana lived her life to the full. She was energetic and forthright, focussed and committed to the job at hand,” said Professor Walls.
“She had a strong and steadfast faith which she displayed in typical fashion by deeds, not words.
“We were fortunate that she made a major contribution to our specialty. She will be sadly missed as a colleague but even more so as a wonderful friend to many whose lives she touched.”
