Vale Gale Higgins, a true friend and colleague to so many

It is with great sadness that we mark the recent passing of Gail Higgins, after a long illness. Gail was a much-loved and highly-respected information specialist whose contribution to Cochrane over the course of 20 years was immense.

It was while working as a medical librarian at the University of Sydney in the late 1990s that Gail first became involved in Cochrane, and by 2001 had joined the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Group as one of their information specialists.

The international dimension of Cochrane's work was one of the attractions for Gail – regular Cochrane meetings provided opportunities to present research, establish long-lasting friendships and sowed the seed of many international collaborations. Over the years, Gail had stints working as an information specialist in Oxford, Cologne, and in Geneva, where on secondment to WHO she worked on the development of the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.

Gail was a tireless advocate for information specialists and the importance of their role in improving review efficiency and the experience of review authors. She was adept at wearing many hats – alongside her Cochrane group work, Gail represented information specialists on the Cochrane Steering Group, and led and contributed to many major Cochrane projects, including significant work in developing standards for the Cochrane Trials Register.

‘Gail was so passionate about her work,’ says friend and fellow Cochrane information specialist, Marian Showell. ‘We will not only sorely miss her mentorship, but also her wonderful, intelligent personality that was full of colour and laughter.’

These sentiments are echoed by many in the Cochrane community who have worked with Gail over the years.

‘I admired Gail’s integrity and valued her honesty on the often thorny issues we discussed at Steering Group meetings’, says Steve McDonald, Cochrane Australia’s Co-Director. ‘But more than that, Gail was a great friend and colleague – I always looked forward to our catch-ups whenever I was in Sydney or when she came to Melbourne for the tennis. Her sense of adventure made her something of a free-spirit, and how she will be missed by those fortunate enough to know her.'