Death of HSJ freelancer and campaigner

Daloni had a degree in biochemistry, which stood her in good stead when she started work in health journalism. After stints at both Nursing Standard and Nursing Times, she became a freelance news and features writer based in the Balkans at a time of great conflict in the area, and later worked for the International Red Cross in the late 1990s.

After returning to England, she worked as a freelance writer and editor while bringing up her family. Her extensive work for HSJ included interviewing rock star Ian Dury, articles on the NHS’ need for overseas staff and the impact on the countries they left behind, and numerous news exclusives. She also organised roundtables and edited special reports.

As well as HSJ, she worked for Nursing Standard, the Guardian and Digital Health Intelligence, among others, and wrote and edited reports for organisations in and around the NHS. Her passion for accuracy, clear-writing, and ability to relate to and get information out of everyone from a healthcare assistant to a chief executive meant she was always in demand.

When Daloni was diagnosed with an aggressive form of womb cancer in 2014, she campaigned for the Eve Appeal, which raises awareness of gynaecological cancers, and became a community champion for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Despite treatment, her cancer returned within a year and she embarked on a number of clinical trials while continuing to raise awareness of women’s cancers. In the summer she gave evidence remotely to the Commons health committee about her experience as a cancer patient during lockdown, speaking of the stress of not knowing when chemotherapy would start.

HSJ editor Alastair McLellan said Daloni was “a formidable journalist and latterly campaigner”. Many other colleagues, fellow journalists and others also paid tribute on social media.

She died in St Christopher’s Hospice in south London on 22 September. She leaves two daughters.

A fundraiser has been set up for the hospice in her memory.