Obituary: Lord Ken Ward-Atherton

It was a great shock to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of our dear friend, colleague and natural and integrative health champion, Lord Kenneth Ward-Atherton this week.

Ken was a Consultant in Integrated Medicine at Spire Healthcare, Sefton Suite, Aintree University Hospital & Pall Mall Medical in Liverpool, UK. He was one of the very few who had been actively practising integrative medicine (including homeopathy and acupuncture) within the National Health Service (NHS). Most of all he was a champion, a connector and an activist.

He had great vision, connecting Western and Eastern disciplines, Russians and Americans, and providing a platform – in 2018 – for 5 professors, including two Nobel laureates and our founder, Rob Verkerk PhD, for a conference focusing on new horizons in water science.

Dr Verkerk received his last communication from Ken just a few days before he passed. He was in close communication over various projects and was extremely alive to the political deception that existed around natural health.

We are deeply committed to continuing the work with which we were engaged with Ken. Work that envisions a transformation in mainstream healthcare, one that welcomes, rather than denigrates, systems of healthcare that work with, not against, nature.

Ken – we honour you and your legacy, one we will do our best to see through to fruition. Rest in peace.

Sidenote

Ken’s affiliations were as follows:

• International Political Advisor – to the ICCHP – Moscow – Russian Federation – (November 2013)
• Chair of CMIR Integrative Medicine Conference (March 2007) – Royal College of Physicians – London
• Past Chair of the British Academy of Western Medical Acupuncture – Liverpool John Moores University
• Past President of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
• Patron of the Complementary Therapies Unit – Christie Hospital NHS Trust Foundation Manchester
• Patron of the AKU Society – University of Liverpool Medical School
• Patron of the Cockayne Childrens’ Support Group (Genetic Research) Wirral Merseyside
• Patron of the Costello Childrens’ Support Group (Genetic Research) Manchester
• Patron of “Sunflowers” Cancer Research Group
• Specialties: government liaison (complementary medicine)