About the Author

Kate O'Hanlon (MBE) was born in the Markets area of Belfast. She worked in business for fourteen years before training to become a nurse. She worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1966-1988, and was sister-in-charge of the casualty department sixteen years. Described on her retirement as 'the United Kingdom's best known casualty nurse' (Belfast Telegraph), Kate was chairman of the Royal College of Nursing's A&E Forum for nine years and secretary for three. She has travelled the world, attending conferences to talk about her experiences, and formed part of a un delegation that visited Gaza and the West Bank to assess the emergency facilities available to the Palestinian victims of the Intafada. She is a Dame of the Order of Malta.