Sir David Russell Hay (8 December 1927 – 3 December 2016) was a New Zealand cardiologist and anti-smoking campaigner.

Biography

Born in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

, Hay was one of four children of philanthropist Sir James Hay, including his identical twin brother Sir Hamish Hay and older sister Dame Laurie Salas. Educated at St Andrew's College, he spent 1945 at

Canterbury University College The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

, before going on to study medicine at the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

, graduating

MB ChB A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

in 1951. Hay then trained as a cardiologist in Britain, where he was influenced by the work of epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll linking smoking to adverse health outcomes. He returned to Christchurch in 1955. In Christchurch in 1958, Hay married Jocelyn Valerie Bell, whom he had met while they were both studying medicine at Otago. The couple went on to have two children. Hay graduated MD from the University of Otago in 1960. From 1959 to 1984, Hay was employed by the North Canterbury Hospital Board, becoming a prominent cardiologist. He was also a clinical academic at the University of Otago's Christchurch School of Medicine from 1973 to 1988. He was a long-time campaigner against smoking and the tobacco industry in his role as inaugural medical director of the New Zealand Heart Foundation (1977–92). In 1999, Hay retired from the New Zealand Heart Foundation after 30 years, having served as its president from 1996 to 1999. Hay held a range of positions on professional bodies, including vice president of the

Royal Australasian College of Physicians The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training and educating physicians and paediatricians across Australia and New Zealand. The RACP is responsible for training both ...

from 1988 to 1992, president of the Canterbury branch of the

British Medical Association The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union and professional body for physician, doctors in the United Kingdom. It does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The BMA ...

in 1972, and New Zealand chair of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand from 1977 to 1981. In 1977 he was appointed a member of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

Expert Advisory Panel on Tobacco and Health, and in 1987 he became an overseas regional advisor to the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

. Hay died in Christchurch on 3 December 2016. His wife, Jocelyn, Lady Hay, died in 2021.

Honours and awards

Hay became a

Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, abbreviated as the post-nominal initials FRACP, is a recognition of the completion of the prescribed postgraduate specialist training programme in internal adult or internal paediatric medicin ...

in 1965, and was elected a

Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

in 1971. He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours, and a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

in the

1991 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1991 were appointments by Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by people of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. They were published on 28 December 1990 for the United Kingdom, ...

, both for services to the New Zealand Heart Foundation. In 1990 Hay was awarded the

New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal The New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal was a commemorative medal awarded in New Zealand in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and was awarded to 3,632 people. Background The New Zealand 1990 Com ...

, in 1992 he was made a life member of the New Zealand Heart Foundation, and in 1995 he received the World Health Organization Tobacco and Health Medal in recognition of his advocacy of smokefree issues and legislation in New Zealand and internationally.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, David 1927 births 2016 deaths Medical doctors from Christchurch New Zealand twins People educated at St Andrew's College, Christchurch University of Canterbury alumni University of Otago alumni New Zealand cardiologists Anti-smoking activists Academic staff of the University of Otago Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire New Zealand Knights Bachelor New Zealand health activists Deaths from lung cancer in New Zealand