A Profile of David & Sue

Profile of David Halpin MB BS FRCS

Aged 64. Married to Susan a trained orthopaedic and general nurse. Schooled at Shaftesbury Grammar School and trained in medicine by the state at St. Mary’s in Paddington. 1970 – 75 trained in orthopaedic and trauma surgery at Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital, Exeter with one year at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Always independent of mind and a sceptic, this being of course an essential quality in a scientist and doctor. Politically radical but never a member of a party and a very committed life within specialties that were much in demand meant that political action was damped. He was galvanised by the B52s being used to bomb Afghan civilians from 32,000 ft after he had joined with millions in calling for an analytical and judicial response to the cataclysm of ‘9/11’. He has spent most waking hours since then listening, writing, speaking and marching for justice and peace.

He is best known publicly for chartering a cargo vessel to carry symbolic amounts of food, clothing and medical supplies to the poorest folk in Gaza in February 2003 to focus ttention on an unresolved conflict of 55 years duration and secondly to stand for peace and reason against the violence and unreason of a looming and illegal war on a broken country to the east of Palestine. He says he is motivated by the child. He looks into the eyes of his two lovely grandchildren and sees in them the eyes of the world’s two billion children. He believes that not one should be harmed and that belief distinguishes him and many others from many world leaders.

For relaxation he maintains the 35 acre of woods he had planted/planted and uses his hands making ash hay rakes for instance. Sue and he are lucky to be able to step out on to Dartmoor, which they cherish more and more, with their two dogs.