here - Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit

newarkadvertiser.co.uk May 5, 2016 Page 15
Pioneering treatment
cures deadly virus
By Lucy Millard
[email protected]
A WOMAN who was diagnosed
with the deadly hepatitis C virus
has been cured after receiving
breakthrough medication.
Penny Brown, 48, of Hockerton,
was diagnosed five years ago and
was told she had probably been living with the virus for many years,
possibly as the result of an infection
from a tattoo.
The virus gradually destroys the
liver leading to cirrhosis, cancer and
the need for a transplant.
Penny was told she needed treatment but at the time she was drinking heavily and was told that she
must give up alcohol.
“At one stage a doctor told me I
would die in two weeks if I didn’t
give up drinking,” she said.
The stark warning made her determined to quit a habit that had started when she was 18.
At one stage she was drinking
three bottles of wine a day.
Once she had been dry for two
years Penny started the new medication, which involved taking four
tablets four times a day at a set
time for 12 weeks. By the end of the
course she was told the hepatitis C
had gone.
“I have still got a lot of other problems to sort out but that was one of
my killers gone,” she said.
The Nottingham Digestive Disease Biomedical Research Unit at
the Queen’s Medical Centre has been
FACING A
BRIGHTER
FUTURE:
Penny
Brown, who
has benefited from new
treatment for
hepatitis C,
pictured with
her mother,
Mrs Joan
Brown, of
Southwell.
210416LM-1
involved in the global trials of the
new medication.
Consultant physician and director of Research and Innovation at
Nottingham University Hospitals
Trust, Dr Steve Ryder, said the new
medicines were more effective and
much easier for patients to take.
“They initially block the virus
from making more virus and then
allow the body to eradicate it with a
combination of drugs,” he said.
The treatment costs about £30,000
and so far about 8,000 people in
England have received it.
Previously the drugs used involved
a long course of treatment with a lot
of side-effects, which meant they
were not suitable for everyone.
Dr Ryder said it had been a privilege to be involved in the lifechanging studies into the new treatments, and see patients who would
have previously been made very ill
with only a 50/50 chance of cure now
feel fine throughout, and be told at
the end the virus had gone.
He said a lot had been developed
in a short time and it was remark-
able that this could be the first disease eradicated by treatment.
Dr Ryder said the next step was
how to best identify those who had
the disease early enough for treatment before too much liver damage
had been caused.
Penny said she was so grateful
to the team at the Queen’s Medical
Centre that she had decided to raise
money for the research unit.
She came up with the idea of a
skydive along with her mother, Mrs
Joan Brown, of Southwell.
When both were told to abort
the idea on health grounds they
appealed for two people to take their
place. Friends Lee Garett and Alan
Johnson came forward to do the
jump and help with the fundraising.
They raised almost £1,800, which
has been presented to the unit, the
Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
Air Ambulance, and the Alzheimer’s
Association.
Penny has now been dry for almost
four years and said she would love to
go into prisons to help those with
alcohol dependency.
“If I could just help one person
that would be great,” she said.
Penny will continue to have regular checks and is positive about her
future. She is looking forward to
getting married this summer.
She and her partner, Mr Michael
Yates, will marry at Newark Register
Office followed by a celebration at
the Hockerton Housing Project the
next day.
“It has given me a new lease of
life,” she said.
Artist brings
the coast to
the gallery
AN ARTIST loved for her
distinctive portrayals of
coastal life is to revisit Trent
Galleries in Newark later
this month.
Renowned British artist
Rebecca Lardner, who is touring only five galleries this
summer, will be at Newark
from 3pm to 5pm on Saturday,
May 14.
She first visited the gal-
AN EXAMPLE of Rebecca
Lardner’s artwork.
Former cadets
urged to join
celebration
FORMER members of 1260 (Newark
and District) Squadron Air Training
Corps are invited to join celebrations on
Saturday to mark a successful heritage
project tracing the history of the unit.
The squadron received a grant three
years ago from the Young Roots Heritage
Project that has been used to produce a
book and DVD tracing its story from its
formation in 1941.
A formal dinner was held at Kelham Hall
in February to celebrate the work.
A less formal celebration will be held at
noon on Saturday at the RAFA Club, off
London Road carpark.
Staff, cadets and RAFA members will
be at the event. Any former members
wanting to join them should contact squadron chairman Mr Dave Holmes on email
[email protected] or mobile 07443
538302.
Bags generate
cash for projects
PEOPLE behind community projects
can apply to a supermarket for a slice of
money generated through the 5p carrier
bag charge.
Tesco’s Bags Of Help programme has
opened for round two applications and will
consider applications for £8,000, £10,000
and £12,000.
The money is available for improvements to community green spaces that
have free and open access to all members
of the community for a minimum of six
days a week during daylight hours.
Applications must be made by June
3 at http://www.groundwork.org.uk/sites/
tescocommunityscheme
Trent Galleries presents Multi-award winning artist
in the gallery on Saturday 14th May
from 3pm to 5pm
ADVERTISING FEATURE
lery two years ago, also in a
limited-date tour, and gallery owner Tracey Morris is
delighted she has chosen to
return to Newark to unveil her
latest collection in person.
Rebecca Lardner’s uplifting,
contemporary work has a wide
appeal, with her whimsical
paintings and sculptures capturing the imagination of the
art world and the public alike.
Her palette is based strongly
on the colours of the sea, with
muted blues, greens and greys
dominating the whole canvas.
The large ensemble cast of
figures, boats and sea birds
creates an impression of ceaseless activity and this is heightened by the natural curve of
the classic English harbour,
which provides movement and
energy.
As one of the UK’s most
sought-after and collectable
artists, Rebecca’s work has
been featured widely in the
media. She has been dubbed
The Modern Day LS Lowry
but with the added ingredient
of quirky good humour.
ARTIST Rebecca Lardner will unveil her latest collection at
Trent Galleries, Chain Lane, Newark, on May 14.
Rebecca will be unveiling
an enchanting collection of
originals and limited editions
in person on May 14, so why
not go along to meet the artist
herself and take a trip to the
English coast?
If you are thinking of buying
a piece of Rebecca’s work for
yourself or someone special,
why not have it signed with
a personal dedication on the
day?
The event is free — simply
contact the gallery to register
your details for an invitation or
for more information.
Trent Galleries, which also
has galleries in Retford and
Oakham, plans a series of
exciting events through the
year, including more personal
visits by popular artists, and
new collection launches.
It’s THE place for collectable
artwork for the contemporary
home.
Call 01636 646426 to register for an invitation.
3 Chain Lane, Newark, Notts NG24 1AU
[email protected]
www.trentgalleries.co.uk