As
a young medical student, Helen Caldicott's life was changed forever when she read
the novel, On The Beach about a nuclear holocaust that ended the world.
It made her very aware of the real potential threat of nuclear war. Years later,
in hte early 1970s, after she had set up the first clinic in Australia to treat
young people with cystic fibrosis, the nuclear issue hit home for Dr. Caldicott.
France was conducting nuclear tests from an island in the South Pacific and nuclear
fallout had been detected in Adelaide where she lived. Dr. Caldicott began writing
letters to the editor and speaking out against these nuclear tests. Others joined
in, and ultimately atmospheric nuclear tests were banned in the South Pacific.
In the late 1970s, Dr. Caldicott helped to cofound Physicians for Social Responsibility,
which had over 30,000 members by 1982 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Helen
Caldicott later helped found WAND, Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament. Dr.
Caldicott has written a number of books and continues to be a leader in the no-nukes
movement, speaking out against nuclear technology, including nuclear power as
well as other environmental concerns.
