My friend and colleague Gilda Witte, who has died of cancer aged 52, was a passionate and inspirational communicator on women’s health.
As chief executive of Ovarian Cancer Action she rebranded the charity to give it greater purpose, identity and candour, and in the process united supporters, scientists and clinicians. She boldly changed awareness campaigns to focus as much on prevention and early diagnosis as on identifying and treating the symptoms of the disease, and brought patient views into decisions about which grants the charity would make – something that helped to steer funds towards the discovery of a protein SOX-2 that may help with earlier detection of ovarian cancer.
She ensured that what the charity saw as priority areas for medical research were more clearly communicated to the scientific community, helping to bring greater focus for everyone involved and She sldo put greater emphasis on the role of the charity in raising awareness about hereditary ovarian cancer.
She was born in Golders Green, northeast London, to Alan, a couture furrier, and Rosalind (nee Brickman), a teacher of dressmaking. Gilda went to Whitefield school near Brent Cross, north London, before taking a business studies degree at Aston University. She began her marketing career in 1987 as a brand manager for Fosters lager before spending five years (1992-97) with Threshers and then becoming marketing director at Whitbread.
In 1990 Gilda became head of online marketing at the BBC, moving to become head of digital marketing and then head of marketing for BBC Radio, responsible for creating and marketing new digital radio brands including 6Music and the Asian Network. As much at home working for Radio 3 as for Radio 1, she had an inquiring mind and broad cultural interests that encompassed theatre, art and music.
From BBC Radio she moved to Children in Need as director of marketing and fundraising in 2009, and then to Ovarian Cancer Action in 2011. Her media experience made her a brilliant and natural charity spokeswoman, whether speaking to the press, politicians or volunteers. Smart, funny and spirited, she had a striking personality, augmented by her red hair and stylish clothes. A generous colleague, she was full of encouragement for every member of her team. When she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014, Gilda understood her own illness far too well, but continued to work for Ovarian Cancer Action as a consultant until her death.
Family was by far the most important thing to Gilda and she balanced her work and cultural interests so that she could be there for her husband, Tim Bluck, and children, Vicky and Noah. She was proud of her Jewish roots and hosted a legendary annual Burns Night supper to embrace Tim’s Scottishness.
Gilda is survived by Tim, Vicky, Noah, her parents, her brother, Roger, and sister, Alison.
