Kirsty Boden (1989-2017)

An indelible mark of achievement

Kirsty Boden (BNg(PreReg) ’10) grew up in Loxton, a small town situated on the banks of the River Murray in the Riverland region of South Australia. A gifted academic and talented sportswoman, Kirsty was educated at the local Loxton High School before receiving a Senior Scholarship from Immanuel College in Adelaide to complete Years 11 and 12 where she earned the Academic Prize for English in 2005.

While attending Immanuel, Kirsty continued to be a keen athlete, actively involved in volleyball and athletics but her real passion was for swimming. Kirsty amassed many accolades during her time in the pool at Immanuel, including ‘Most Valuable Swimmer 2005 and 2006’ as well as being the 2006 Swim Captain – she still holds a school record in the butterfly.

Kirsty’s passion for travel saw her relocate to London in 2013 where she worked in a variety of allied health roles before being accredited by the NMC as a Registered Nurse in the UK. She was then able to return to her specialty in Post-Anaesthetic Care at London's Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital.

Kirsty used her time in the UK to explore her passion for travelling and saw much of Europe. Running a blog called The Time Poor Traveller, Kirsty documented her travels to Germany, Lithuania, Switzerland and Bulgaria as well as around the United Kingdom.

On 3 June 2017, Kirsty’s life was tragically cut short during the terrorist attack on London Bridge and Borough Markets in the UK. Tributes poured in for the young South Australian nurse with family, friends and colleagues describing her as: ‘an outstanding young person’; with ‘a warm, considerate nature and a bubbly personality’; ‘popular and much loved by staff and peers for her enthusiasm, dedication, and zest for life’, described by Guy’s Hospital colleagues as, ‘one-in-a-million,’ and as someone who ‘always went the extra mile for the patients in her care.’

There is no doubt that Kirsty Boden left an indelible mark on those who met her, and, like her friends, family and colleagues, Flinders University is extremely proud of all that she achieved and the way in which she conducted herself throughout her lifetime.

For her heroism during the attack, local media dubbed Kirsty the ‘Angel of London Bridge’ where, instead of running away from danger, she faced it head on to assist those in need. At that moment, Kirsty embodied all that is good in the face of adversity, acting selflessly at the expense of her own life. Professor Stirling said ‘Kirsty revealed in the most extraordinary way her devotion, bravery and professionalism in her act of selflessness.’

Kirsty Boden was awarded a Flinders University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017 for the indelible mark she left on those who knew her, in all that she achieved and the way in which she conducted herself throughout her lifetime.