Prestigious award for Stella O’Brien

At THIS Institute, we are delighted that her enormous achievements in advancing research and challenging societal norms around disability, inclusion, and public engagement have been recognised by the award of an honorary degree by Middlesex University.

This wonderful award honours Stella’s significant contribution to digital technology in healthcare and patient advocacy, the work she’s done on accessibility and inclusivity for the Deaf community, and her role in shaping national research priorities through her involvement with major funders such as the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Cancer Research UK.

Stella was nominated for the honour by Britta Stordal, the Deputy Dean of Research and Knowledge Exchange, at Middlesex. Stella and Britta had previously been colleagues on a NICE committee. Stella explains, “Britta nominated me because we share a passion for inclusion, along with the role of the public, patients and carers in co-creating research, and participating in decision-making processes around the adoption of medicines and technology in the NHS and making sure that these innovations reach the people who most need them.”

Stella and THIS Institute first made contact when, as a member of Cochrane Crowd, Stella had participated in a THIS Institute project. After finishing the task, THIS sent the participants a video thank you note. “I was enlarging the video, so that I could lipread the speaker, when I noticed that it was already close captioned. THIS communicated inclusively, and by design, without knowing a deaf person was part of the audience.”

This simple action encouraged Stella to look for an opportunity to volunteer for other engagement and involvement opportunities with THIS. “THIS actively works to be inclusive, and we have collaborated to extend that,” she reflects. “It co-creates a credible evidence base for healthcare improvement through innovative research with NHS patients, staff, and wider stakeholders. It recognises the value of both lived experience and professional knowledge and that, when they combine, they create real, lasting change that makes a difference in healthcare.”

The themes of accessibility and access to the knowledge and information we need in our work and in our day-to-day lives remain hugely important to Stella. “My current focus is on accessibility, and how we can use many forms of knowledge and lived experience to improve healthcare.”

She highlights that THIS deliberately creates and cultivates both an inclusive research culture and participatory practices that THIS research fellows can take with them in their future careers – and which they inspire others to adopt.

Stella welcomes how her honorary degree reflects her many contributions to THIS and other organisations. “There are versions of my story in which I could have been intimidated by the indifference to things that I care about and walked away. But I knew that I carried the responsibility to be there for the people who weren’t in the room. And to make a difference for them. It reinforces that we all, patients and carers included, have a contribution to make. People are there to support us so we can make a difference. And that our contribution is valued within the health and social care research system.”

Danielle Doyle, THIS Institute’s Strategic Communications and Engagement Lead, says, “Stella brings an incredible blend of expertise, energy, and generosity to everything she does. She has a remarkable ability to challenge thinking in the most constructive and inclusive way, and I’ve learned so much from her — not just about involvement and engagement, but about leadership, empathy, and how to bring your whole self to this work. She consistently encourages us to think differently and more expansively. Her influence runs deep through THIS Institute, and this recognition couldn’t be more deserved.”