Helen Olivia Bicknell Lightwood[1] was born in Norwich on 23 June 1976, and grew up near Redhill, Surrey. Both her parents worked as doctors.[7][8][9] She was educated at an all-girls Roman Catholic school before entering the sixth form at the independent Westminster School in London.[8][10] During her school years she undertook work experience in hospitals, with the intention of following her parents into a medical career, but Whately commented in her maiden speech as MP that it instead incentivised her to pursue a career in which she could improve healthcare as a whole.[6]