Inaugural Diane Fairclough Distinguished Lectureship

Melanie Bell, PhD, presented "Quality of Life: A retrospective of the work of Diane Fairclough" on April 23, 2025. ______ Diane Fairclough, a faculty member of the University of Colorado since 1996, passed away in March 2024. A multi-time cancer survivor, she centered her work on improving the lives of people suffering from cancer and other health conditions. She became internationally known as an expert in the design and analysis of studies with patient-reported outcomes. A past president of the International Society for Quality of Life, she wrote an influential book on the analysis of quality of life studies, paying particular attention to the problems caused by missing data. Her work greatly improved the rigor of the field, and she was sought after to teach workshops around the world. Beyond her work, she was a passionate gardener, dog lover, and ukulele player, and her ebullient personality made her a pleasure to be around. As a former student and collaborator of Diane’s, I aim to give an overview of her research and some of her many contributions to the field.