TUF Newsletter The Urology Foundation Spring/Summer 2015

The Urology Foundation
Newsletter
Spring / Summer 2015
04
Ben’s
Biking Bash
12
Gala Dinner Raises
Thousands for Research
16
Research Report on
Severe Male Infertility
Leading the fight against urology disease
theurologyfoundation.org
Contents
Welcome Fundraising Welcome
03
04
Ben’s Biking Bash
04
Tony Norris TUF Marathon
06
Daredevil Tom Defies Fear of Heights for TUF Spotlight on Fundraising
08
News 10
12
Our Gala Dinner 12
TUF’s Urology Survey
14
TUF is Rebranding
16
Patient Stories 18
Mike Bygrave’s Battle with Prostate Cancer 18
Doctor’s Kidney Diagnosis Helps Her See Patient Perspective 20
Medical Insight 22
Report: Kidney Stone clinical visit to Nadiad, India 22
Progress Report: Meiotic Defects in Severe Male Infertility
24
About TUF 26
Dates for your Diary
26
Who’s Who
27
About TUF
28
In our first newsletter of 2015 I’m happy to report that 2014
was a good year for The Urology Foundation. We were buoyed
by how incidences of fundraising by individuals have increased
compared with previous years. Thank you to everyone who
dusted down their trainers for a challenge, baked a cake
or donated unwanted clothing for the cause. Particular
thanks have to be paid to the wonderful, redoubtable Sinfields who sailed
all around Britain (featured in the previous newsletter) and who attracted
a lot of press coverage along the way, and to the ‘Two Bens’, extraordinary
urologists who persuaded colleagues and patients alike to don their cycling
shorts and bike from Paris to Canterbury over a weekend. Grand gestures
like these do much to attract not only much needed donations, but also
much needed awareness for urological conditions and diseases.
This lack of awareness was very sharply brought home to us when we commissioned some polling ahead
of last September’s first Urology Awareness Month. As you will read, there is still a significant amount of
shame and embarrassment attached to urological conditions that discourage people from seeking help.
We continue to work to banish the stigma which can have such a negative impact on outcomes and survival.
One way we hope to do this is through a new logo and website. It has become clear to us that our current
look and feel is too medical and clinical to appeal to a wider, general public. Many are not even clear that
we need to fundraise in order to fulfil our remit. We need to ensure that the way we present ourselves fits
in with a warmer, friendlier approach that sits with and competes with other public-facing charities. The
website redesign will make it easier to access relevant information, whether you are a member of the
public or urology professional and will better illustrate the impact of our work. Importantly, our focus and
our objectives remain unchanged. We hope you will love the new look as we do.
Finally, I have to end on some very sad news. Our much-loved Trustee, Nick Rogers, finally succumbed to
kidney cancer earlier this year. Nick was a great advocate for TUF and an engaged board member, ensuring
that TUF made the best of its resources and delivered as much as possible to the frontline in terms of research
and training. He is sorely, sorely missed and our condolences go out to his widow, Sue, and all his family.
Louise de Winter, Chief Executive
Learn more about our work and how you
can help at theurologyfoundation.org
2
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
3
Fundraising
Ben’s Biking Bash
TUF-funded Ben Eddy and his team have raised just over £14,000
for The Urology Foundation by cycling from Paris to Canterbury
– a total of 250 miles.
The three-day event, in which 13 Kent residents
participated, took place in September. It was
organised by urologist Ben Eddy, who lives in
Bridge, Canterbury, and works at Kent and
Canterbury Hospital.
He said: “I am very satisfied and proud with what
everyone has achieved. We cycled 95 miles on the
first day, 70 miles on day two and 60 on day three –
these are distances we haven’t cycled before.
The team departed from the Eiffel Tower and
finished at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
Ben, 43, who is married to Ali and has three
children Lily, James and Archie, was inspired to
fundraise for The Urology Foundation after directly
benefitting from the charity’s work.
He and his colleagues were funded to visit
The Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville,
Tennessee, where they received robotic training
from a worldwide expert in robotic surgery and
observed how a robotic service works and how
to set up their own service. Ben was also funded
for a robotic prostate fellowship in Australia.
Ben said: “My experiences had an immediate
impact on my work because within six months I was
able to implement a robotic service for prostate
cancer patients in Kent.
Ben Challacombe and Ben Eddy at the finish
4
“The robotic service in Canterbury performed
200 robotic cases last year (including robotic
prostatectomies, cystectomies and partial
nephrectomies). The service has now been
expanded to treat men and women with bladder and
kidney cancer. We continue to grow – we are training
up another surgeon so that we can treat West Kent
patients as well and we are in the top five in terms
of volume in centres in the UK.”
Treating patients robotically offers many
advantages.
“The robotic procedure leads to faster recovery
times – patients are often only in hospital overnight
and can resume normal activities or work quicker.
There is less blood loss, less pain and the patients
seem to recover continence quicker.
“I am extremely grateful to The Urology Foundation
for supporting our service with their Robotic
preceptorships and wanted to do this challenge
to give something back. I am delighted with the
amount of money we have raised for the charity –
a huge thank you goes to everyone who has
donated including BMI Chaucer, Lawmed and
Teleflex Medical.”
Ben was joined on the challenge by another
TUF-funded urologist, Ben Challacombe from
Guy’s Hospital and several theatre staff but the
participants were also made up of people from
the local community who are interested in cycling
or have been affected by cancer.
We had achy legs and
shoulders but were filled
with such a sense of elation
when we completed
the challenge.
Ben’s team at the Dover crossing
Ben Challacombe added: “I’ve known about The
Urology Foundation throughout my training as a
registrar and the organisation is currently funding
one of our nurses to undertake research which
will have a direct impact on nursing. I have a lot
of respect for The Urology Foundation and the
excellent work it does – we have benefitted hugely
and I know other centres have too.”
The money raised by the cycling team will be used
to fund research and develop better diagnoses
and treatments into prostate, bladder and kidney
cancers, as well as other urological conditions such
as incontinence.
Louise de Winter, chief executive of The Urology
Foundation said: “We are so grateful that these
busy urologists have given up their spare time to
fundraise for TUF. The amount of money raised by
the Paris to Canterbury cycle challenge is fantastic
and will help us carry out our work which is so
urgently needed.”
If that wasn’t enough, Ben is also set to undergo
another challenge for TUF. In June, he is organising
a bike ride from London to the BAUS (British
Association of Urological Surgeons) conference
in Manchester. The 210 mile trip is taking place
over three days and they want urologists, patients
and friends to join them either as an individual
or as a team.
The money that Ben’s team has raised
for TUF has enabled us to invest in vital
research to combat the effects of deadly
and debilitating urological conditions.
If you would like to join him on his next
challenge, please visit bike2baus.co.uk
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
5
Fundraising
Marathon Man raises £2,500 for TUF
Well-established supporter of The Urology Foundation, Tony Norris,
has pushed himself to the limit by running the Amsterdam Marathon –
a total of 26 miles - to raise money for The Urology Foundation.
Tony, 40, from Esher, who is married to Suzanne
and has two children, Ollie, five and Hugo,
three, was inspired to fundraise for The Urology
Foundation after his father, Steven (and former TUF
chairman), was diagnosed with a prostate condition.
“The efforts of my wife, Suzanne, put me to shame.
She set off having never run more than a half
marathon before and with the sole intention of
hopping over the barriers into the handily located
Metro station at the half-way point. But spurred on
by crowds, bananas and more energy drinks than
most supermarkets stock she managed to cross the
finishing line in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium in
a remarkable five hours and seventeen minutes.
He has raised over £2,500 for TUF.
He said: “I’d always wanted to run a marathon but
I’d never got round to doing it or even a 10k run.
Once I’d had my 40th birthday I thought: ‘It’s now
or never.’
“Even though our times won’t trouble any record
keepers it was a fantastic experience. 44,000 people
are estimated to have taken part and there was
certainly a great atmosphere all around the course.
We were lucky to have a very mild, dry day with a
gentle breeze and thankfully a very flat course. The
spectators were great and there was lots to keep an
idle mind off thoughts of weary legs.
“I enjoy running because it relaxes me – it stops
me from thinking too much. But I didn’t just do it
for personal relaxation or to fulfil my ambitions.
I learnt about The Urology Foundation because
of my father and I want to remind men, who are
approaching middle age that if they have any
concerns whatsoever they should get themselves
checked out.”
“Crossing the finishing line was quite emotional
though because I was incredibly touched by people’s
generosity. The thought that their donations really
do help The Urology Foundation to change and save
lives, through research, the introduction of new
techniques and through early diagnosis certainly
spurred me on when walking (let alone running)
was proving a challenge!”
Tony completed the marathon in four hours and
twenty nine minutes.
He said: “My head and my heart tell me that’s a
good target to beat next time. My body tells me
never again!
Tony says he feels ‘privileged’ to be able to
support TUF.
I learnt about The Urology
Foundation because of
my father and I want to
remind men, who are
approaching middle age that
if they have any concerns
whatsoever they should get
themselves checked out.
“Urology isn’t something you think about until you
are personally affected. My dad had a couple of
prostate scares and it is concerning when there is
something wrong with someone you love and care
about,” he said.
“Breast cancer is much more publicised than
prostate cancer and other urological problems –
it is important that public awareness is raised.
It is vitally important that we find ways to better
deal with urological diseases.”
6
Inspired by Tony to take up
a TUF challenge? Visit:
theurologyfoundation.org/get-involved
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
7
Fundraising
Fundraising
Daredevil Tom defies fear of heights for TUF
In March, Tom Nicholson completed his death-defying skydive, jumping
out of a plane from over 13,000 feet and travelling at speeds of over
120 miles per hour in freefall. He has currently raised over £1,000 for
TUF through donations from friends, family and work colleagues.
We caught up with Tom before the dive.
Tom, 24, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was
inspired to undertake this challenge after the
treatment his grandfather, Terry Harnell, received
for penile cancer which he was diagnosed with
in 2010. Four years and two separate pieces of
surgery later, Terry has now finally been completely
discharged from hospital.
Terry’s penile cancer, an incredibly rare condition
that only affects one in every one hundred thousand
men, had changed both his life and the lives of his
family. The cancer is potentially fatal, and usually
affects men over the age of sixty. Terry was 72 when
he was diagnosed.
As a result of his grandfather’s cancer, Tom has
now learnt a lot more about urology, having not
previously known much about the type of conditions
it covered.
“I didn’t know very much about urological diseases
before this whole thing. I knew about testicular
and prostate cancer but I didn’t even know you
could get penile cancer. I am definitely more
conscious of my own health now because of him.
I was quite ignorant before and I’m happy that I
know more now.
Tom completed his skydive on the 22 March and is
still in the process of raising funds for it. Through
his family, his friends and his work colleagues he
is looking to raise £1,000 as a minimum for TUF.
When we spoke to Tom the reality of actually doing
the skydive finally hit him, who has never done
anything like this before.
“Last week I was in London and my friend and I
were on the London Eye. We got to the top and
she turned around and said to me ‘God, look how
far down it is from here… when you’re doing your
skydive you’re going to fall from a lot higher than
this!’ Then I looked down myself and I thought to
myself ‘Oh my God, what am I doing?!’”
Tom did not have any doubts about going through
with the dive though.
“I didn’t want the fundraising to be all pleasure,
so I’m looking forward to it, I think. Coincidentally,
a friend of mine did one just this Saturday and he
told me it was the best feeling he’d ever had, so
I’m hoping that’s true for me too. Knowing you are
raising money makes it more rewarding as well,
you know.”
All the money Tom raises will go towards funding
new research projects and clinical visits for urology
professionals. The Foundation funds research into
all kind of urology cancers which are currently
severely underfunded within the UK.
8
Nerveless Tom prepares for his 13,000 foot sky dive
Terry was treated at Spire Leeds Hospital by
Mr Ian Eardley, who is a member of TUF’s
Science and Education Committee. One of his
specialisations is penile surgery and reconstruction;
crucial to Terry’s case.
What I have learnt is what
everyone else learns, I
imagine – that is – to look
after yourself more and to
be more aware that these
things can happen to anyone
and that no-one is ever
completely immune.
Mr Eardley told TUF: “Although modern medicine
can diagnose and treat many urological conditions,
there is still a lot that we don’t know. That’s why it is
important that we continue to undertake research
into urological disease. Research takes time,
expertise and money, which is why it is so helpful
that people like Tom undertake fundraising events
to support the work of The Urology Foundation.”
Tom would also like other people to get involved
with fundraising for TUF.
“It’s really important to fund this type of research.
You know, I was so naïve until my grandfather had
penile cancer. I would recommend that as many
people as possible affected by urological cancers
promote the charity because that’ll raise awareness
of these types of cancers that no-one really talks
about very much.”
Doing a skydive is just one way you
can raise money for TUF. For more
ideas about how you could fundraise
for TUF, please visit
theurologyfoundation.org/get-involved
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
9
Fundraising
Spotlight on fundraising
Thank you to our TUF Heroes
Your support makes our work possible. Without you we would not be able
to fund vital research, education and training in the fight against urology
disease. Every pound raised, every minute given, every pedal turned
and every unwanted jumper donated will make a massive difference
to thousands of people.
Make a Regular Donation
Choose a Cycling Challenge
Giving a monthly donation either by standing order
or through your payroll allows us to plan ahead
and invest in key urology research and training
programmes. Your ongoing support will not just
make a difference today but every day.
Get on your bike and raise money for
The Urology Foundation.
Turn an Old Car into Cash
Do you have an unwanted car? By scrapping or selling
it through Giveacar your old car could help us fund
more urology research. Our partners at Giveacar will
collect your car and either sell it at auction or scrap
it, giving the proceeds to TUF. To find out more call
Giveacar on 020 7736 4242 or visit giveacar.co.uk and
nominate us as your chosen charity.
Urology Awareness Month September 2015
TUF’s Urology Awareness Month is about promoting
urology health and the signs and symptoms of
common urological conditions to encourage early
diagnosis. We need your support to help us make
more people aware of their urology health and banish
the stigma associated with urology cancers and
conditions. Whether you’re a urology professional
or have been affected by a urology disease,
we’d love you to become a TUF speaker. Email
[email protected] to find out more.
Get TUF on your Wardrobe
Planning a Spring clean on your wardrobe? Why
not donate your unwanted clothes and shoes and
help raise money for TUF? Our partner, Clothes for
Charity, make it simpler and much more secure for
you to donate your unwanted items and in turn help
us. Visit clothesforcharity.org.uk and search for The
Urology Foundation for more information.
10
Saturday 6 – Sunday 7 June, Nightrider London
While the capital sleeps be part of the 100km
charity cycle ride, taking in some of London’s most
iconic sights at night while you raise money for TUF.
And, if the thought of a 100km has you shaking in
your padded shorts, you can join the new 60km
Nightrider route.
Sunday 2 August, Ride London-Surrey 100
Realise your inner Bradley Wiggins as you celebrate
the cycling legacy created by the London 2012
Olympics and
ride the 100-mile
route on closed
roads through the
capital and into
Surrey’s stunning
countryside
before
concluding on
The Mall in
central London.
Places are still available in this year’s
Nightrider London and Ride LondonSurrey 100 TUF cycling teams, and we
need to fill them before 13th May. Are you
interested? Do you know some who might
be? Contact Sayara today to find out more
or to book your place. Email Sayara at
[email protected]
TUF Scholars Ben Eddy, Ben Challacombe and
their 10 fellow cyclists who rode 250 miles in
three days from Paris to Canterbury. Together
they raised just over £14,000.
The NHS England Derbyshire and
Nottinghamshire area team put their baking
skills during Urology Awareness Month last
September. Their cake sale raised £64.
In October Nick Raison took on the Beachy Head
Marathon, one of the UK’s toughest marathons
in the UK, in aid of TUF. He raised £460.
Ankit Desai, a urology
core surgical trainee,
climbed 5,895m to
reach the summit of
Mount Kilimanjaro
in January. So far
he has raised £250,
with sponsorship still
coming in.
Father-of-two Tony Norris completed the
Amsterdam Marathon in 4 hours and 29 minutes.
He raised £2,780.
Pauline D’Errico held her annual ball, An
Evening in Pink, for TUF. It was an entertaining
night with dinner, dancing, a raffle and an
auction. She raised a fantastic £13,000.
Caroline Gower, urology nurse and blogger, will
run her first marathon at this year’s Brighton
Marathon. She plans to raise as much as she can.
In April grandfather-of-ten
Terry Keen will take on
the South Downs Double,
twice over, cycling 400
miles with ascents up to
7,620 metres. He hopes
to raise over £500.
Thank you to our
youngest TUF
Hero five-year
old Charlie
Chalmers
who raised an
amazing £50
baking and
selling cakes.
A group of urology SpRs from the Midlands
Urology Club had 30 long hairy days in November
growing moustaches. Together they raised £279.
Inspired by his grandfather’s experience of
a urological cancer, Tom Nicholson from
Wakefield did a 13,000 feet sky dive in March.
He has currently raised over £1,000.
Shop Online with easyfundraising
A Fundraiser’s Fancy
We’ve teamed up with easyfundraising.co.uk so
you can shop at all your favourite online stores,
including Amazon, Marks and Spencer’s, Tesco and
John Lewis, and we’ll receive a free donation (up
to 15% of your purchase) from the retailer you’ve
shopped with at no extra cost to you. Sign up today
at easyfundraising.co.uk and make that grocery
shop go even further.
Quite simply without you we could not continue our
work in the fight against urology disease. If you are
planning your own challenge or event, or have a
unique fundraising idea we’re here to help make
your event a success. So whatever takes your fancy
every penny you raise will make a big difference.
For more information on our fundraising
or to find out how you can get involved,
contact Sayara on 020 7713 9538 or email
[email protected]
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
11
In November 2014 The Urology Foundation hosted its bi-annual gala dinner
at Drapers’ Hall, raising over £90,000 for the charity. The event was a sellout with 190 guests in attendance for the black tie event, including many
urology professionals with whom we work closely and our supporters.
Before dinner, guests assembled for drinks in the
magnificent 19th century drawing room. Drapers’
Hall has long since been a favoured location for
filming, with scenes from the Harry Potter series
and The King’s Speech filmed inside.
Dinner was served in the stunning livery hall,
adorned with Drapers’ Hall’s vast collection of
royal portraits and ceiling paintings depicting
Shakespearean scenes. Guests were then served a
magnificent banquet including a chestnut tart tatin,
a loin of venison and a chocolate teardrop.
Speeches soon followed, and
one of our most well-known
guests, Ronnie Corbett CBE,
who is a patron of the charity,
was invited to the stage to
say a few words about the
evening and about TUF.
What happened next was not
strictly scripted, with Ronnie
and his wife breaking out
into an impromptu rendition
of There’s No Business like
Show Business followed by
Ronnie delivering
a Christmasthemed poem.
TUF Chief Executive,
Louise de Winter,
then came on stage
to talk about the
reason we were all
there; to raise as
much as possible in
order to continue the
work that TUF do on
a day-to-day basis;
funding research
projects and clinical
12
visits so that urologists can further develop their
skills which results in better patient care and better
quality of life outcomes in the United Kingdom.
There was a great number of fantastic auction items
that had been donated for the Gala Dinner which
were split between a silent auction and a live auction.
Throughout the evening, the silent auction had
been open for guests to bid on a vast array of
different items. Competing online with other
guests, winners received superb prizes such as
a four-ball at the prestigious Swinley Forest Golf
Club, a Real Madrid shirt
signed by the most expensive
footballer in the world,
Gareth Bale, a pair of Paris
Chandelier earrings made
by award winning jewellery
designer Imogen Belfield
alongside other amazing lots.
live auction
Our guests prepare for the
The main event, however,
was the live auction in the
room, masterfully steered
by legendary auctioneer
Nick Stewart.
The live auction prizes
went down a storm,
with many amazing
opportunities on offer.
The biggest sum
raised on the night
was for an incredible
Greek cruise, with a
privately-chartered,
fully crewed yacht for
a week. The £20,000
paid for it on the
night will have a
profound effect on
© @mattbultitude
News
Thousands raised for research in TUF’s Gala Dinner
the work we are able to fund and thus patient care
in the UK. Other big ticket items included £8,000
for a three-quarter length portrait, painted by TUF
supporter and esteemed artist Johnny Jonas. Jonas
painted the Queen Mother on the occasion of her
100th birthday and was commissioned to paint an
official portrait of Prime Minister David Cameron so
the winner is in good company.
Another TUF supporter, Aslam Merchant, very
generously offered two fixtures in a corporate box
at the Emirates stadium and kindly contributed
fantastic leather table gifts.
Other prizes expertly auctioned off by Nick
Stewart included two British Airways Club World
return tickets for flights anywhere in the world,
a week’s stay for a dozen people in a stunning
character property set in fourteen acres of the Gers
countryside in the South of France and an Arsenal
shirt signed by all of the members of the squad that
won 2014’s FA Cup final last May.
What happened next was not
strictly scripted, with Ronnie
and his wife breaking out
into an impromptu rendition
of There’s No Business
like Show Business!
Guest Ben Challacombe, Consultant Urologist at
Guy’s Hospital, said: “This year’s Gala Dinner really
was a fantastic evening in majestic surroundings
spent with friends and colleagues raising money for
a truly important cause. Well done to TUF on a great
success and please book me in for next year now!”
TUF will now be able to dedicate the £90,000 raised
to funding more research projects and clinical visits
so that we can improve urology care all over the UK.
This November be part of the Great Big
Dinner of the Year by hosting your own
supper party and help raise money for
The Urology Foundation. For more
information and to sign-up contact
[email protected]
All in all, Drapers’ Hall proved to be an exceptional
venue for TUF’s flagship event of 2014, with
everyone declaring it an overwhelming success.
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
13
News
TUF Survey: Startling new figures show lack
of awareness about urology
Nearly half of all people within the United Kingdom do not know what
the field of urology entails and many more are too embarrassed to go
to their doctor for help with a urological condition, a survey carried out
by The Urology Foundation has revealed. In what were troubling results,
it became apparent that many people are allowing existing urological
complaints to worsen before seeking medical attention due
to a perceived embarrassment at their condition.
Urology is broadly defined as the branch of
medicine that deals with the diseases of the
kidney, bladder, prostate, the urinary tract and
male reproductive organs.
Unfortunately, when asked, many of our
respondents were not able to define urology in
those terms.
As we can see from the charts, over 40% of all
people do not know what urology entails. This is
45% of men and 38% of women. This statistic is
very troubling, as it shows that a great number
of people do not consider their urological health
on a regular basis. This makes it more likely that
they will not spot the signs of a problem and this
will have a negative impact on patient outcomes
further down the line.
Only 1 in 4 respondents knew what
urology covered.
15%
26%
Yes
No
59%
Don’t know what it is
We have also established that age is a very
significant factor in terms of the understanding of
a whole range of urological concerns. The highest
proportion of people who did not know what urology
covered were young people (a huge 68%). They were
also least likely to be able to identify any symptoms
of urological conditions.
One of the main reasons, however, for which patient
outcomes are so difficult to improve is because
one’s urological health is often an embarrassing
subject to broach.
The following chart shows which age groups
find it most embarrassing to talk about their
urological health.
It is clear that to a large extent, the older you are,
the less likely you are to be embarrassed about
your urological health. The lack of desire to speak
out about urological conditions due to perceived
awkwardness is one of the main reasons for
which patients do not visit the doctor until they are
desperate, which has a profoundly negative effect
on patient outcomes. There are also many people
who live with very debilitating - but eminently
treatable - conditions, such as incontinence, purely
because they are too embarrassed to go and see
the doctor.
Our study shows that going to the doctor when
identifying a symptom is more difficult for some
parts of society more than others. When we asked
our respondents what they would do if they were to
experience incontinence, the results showed that
men were far more likely than women to go to see
Embarrassed
Which age groups are most embarrassed by
speaking out on urological conditions?
52%
48%
18-24
53%
47%
25-34
58%
42%
35-44
their doctor straight away, with 62% of them saying
they would, with the same percentage of women
saying they wouldn’t. More women would wait to
see if the condition got worse before they would
seek medical help.
Commenting on the findings of the survey, Chief
Executive of The Urology Foundation, Louise de
Winter, said. “It is plain from these findings that
much more needs to be done to banish the stigma
of urological disease. We know that seeking help
early can have a positive impact on outcomes and
part of our focus in September’s Urology Awareness
Month is to promote this message.
Not embarrassed
75%
72%
76%
25%
28%
24%
45-54
55-64
65+
Who participated in the survey?
An independent agency surveyed 1015
people in total, including 483 men and
532 women. Our respondents hailed
from all areas of the United Kingdom,
while we ensured that we asked the
broadest cross-section of people that
we could, with all socio-economic
backgrounds included, young and
old, working and retired, with children
and without.
“One in every two people will suffer from a
urological condition during their lifetime and it is
vitally important not only that they are aware of
what their symptoms may mean, but also that they
are willing to seek medical help when they need to
do so. Early diagnosis is crucial in obtaining better
outcomes. Our survey shows that more needs to be
done to spread the name of urology into the public
sphere in order to erase the stigma associated with
it and improve patient outcomes.”
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
15
News
The Urology Foundation is Rebranding
Great Big Dinner of the Year
This November home cooks, wannabe chefs and
BBQ kings in the UK will be cooking up a storm for
our Great Big Dinner of the Year to raise money
for vital urology research, training and education.
We are delighted to announce that The Urology Foundation is set
to unveil our brand new logo and website later this year.
The new TUF look will be rolled out across all of
our communications channels, from our website
to our supporter newsletters and printed leaflets.
The website redesign will make our site more userfriendly in terms of organisation of information and
will be responsive to those visiting the site on their
mobile, tablet, and those using their laptop.
It is important to note that while we are changing
TUF’s image, the objectives remain the same.
Our overall mission is clear; we will continue to
fight urology diseases through funding cutting-edge
research, training and education that will lead to
the very best urology practices, care and treatment
in the UK and Ireland.
So why are we doing this?
Our main goal is that the new look will better
communicate the values of The Urology Foundation
and reinforce the mission of the charity to those
who come into contact with our work.
Over the past year, we have recognised that the
current TUF brand has a distinctly clinical feel,
lacking the warmth of many other charity brands.
As we seek to encourage people to connect with our
aims and values and to fundraise for us, we believe
it is important that the way we present ourselves
fits in with a more personable approach and one
that competes with other charities.
To support the launch of the new TUF look, we
will ensure that our vision, mission and values
are consistently emphasised through our
communication activity both to the professionals
we support and the public we benefit.
We very much hope that you will like the look of the
new brand as it is rolled out in the next few months.
So whether you prefer to entertain over a big bowl of spag bol
or a seven-course candlelight supper you can help fight
urology disease from your kitchen.
Be part of it!
Sign-up today and get more information on planning your evening,
invitation templates, menu ideas and much more.
Email [email protected]
or call Sayara on 020 7713 9538
Leaving a
TUF
By remembering The Urology Foundation in your will you can be part of future urology
research and training, helping millions of people suffering from a urology condition.
TUF has always been funded by the generosity of people like you. With a gift in your
will, no matter how big or small, you can help us continue our vital work tomorrow
so that fewer lives will be devastated by urology disease in the years ahead.
www.theurologyfoundation.org
16
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LEADING THE FIGHT
AGAINST UROLOGY DISEASE
The Urology Foundation is a UK registered charity (no. 1128683)
When someone is diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is not uncommon for
them to live one or even two decades with the disease. But of course, that is
not always the case. When national freelance journalist Mike Bygrave was
diagnosed with prostate cancer, he and his wife Carolyn were determined
to remain strong, believing they had many more years together. Tragically,
just two years later, Mike passed away at the age of 68.
Here is his story. A co-founder of Time Out
magazine, Mike was born in Birmingham but spent
much of his adult working life in Los Angeles
writing articles and non-fiction stories. He was in
the US when prostate cancer first started to get big
publicity. When he returned to the UK, he was one
of the early adopters of the PSA test. He was tested
regularly but then flaws were discovered in the test.
Knowing that the removal of the prostate could lead
to side effects like impotence or incontinence he
balanced the risks of the test with actually getting
prostate cancer and resolved not to continue with it.
It was three years ago in Italy that Mike first noticed
some symptoms. He was working in an olive grove
when he got very bad back pain and a restriction
of urine, which he assumed was from the heavy
physical work.
He made a doctor’s appointment but played down
the symptoms. A few weeks later when Mike was in
LA, he injured himself while out running. Mike was
a keen runner and went three times a week but one
morning found himself doubled over in pain.
Mike mentioned his previous symptoms. A doctor
examined Mike and sent him for a biopsy.
As soon as Mike was diagnosed with cancer he and
Carolyn saw Roger Kirby, consultant urologist at
The Prostate Centre, one of TUF’s founders and
current Secretary. Mike had been recommended to
Roger by his Time Out co-founder, Tony Elliott.
“We were told it was terminal,” said Carolyn. “We
were shocked and upset by the diagnosis but it
didn’t really sink in – it was a blur. There was lots to
do and it all happened so quickly – there wasn’t the
time to sit and think about it all.
18
“You can have terminal cancer and live for years
and years and we believed this would be the case.
But every treatment failed. Even Zoladex which
patients normally take for years only worked for
Mike for three months. When the treatments failed
we couldn’t believe it – we always hoped the next
treatment would be the one to kick it.”
Mike’s treatment consisted of various forms of
hormone therapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy
and a new treatment called Alpha Radium.
“He really struggled with the fact the cancer
couldn’t be taken out,” says Carolyn. “But our
reaction was to be optimistic and positive. Mike was
determined to fight it. I was so worried but he never
showed his fears, I think he was protecting me.
We never asked how long he had. He didn’t want
to know and if he didn’t, neither did I. With cancer
you have so few choices but this was our choice and
something we could control whether or not to know.
“We planned for the future, even talking about
how his 80th birthday would be held in a wacky
restaurant in Piccadilly Circus. We have always
travelled a lot and when Mike was first diagnosed
we went to my house in Italy, where I grow olives
to try and absorb the news. Just being away helped
– it was so tranquil and beautiful.
“We travelled to Italy, Paris and New York. But what
Mike really wanted was to return to his beloved LA.
Unfortunately, no insurance company would cover
him and help us make this dream a reality. This
caused him a huge amount of distress and it makes
me very angry.”
Los Angeles held a special place for Mike because
of its freedom, rootlessness, climate and openness
© David May
Patient Stories
Mike Bygrave’s battle with prostate cancer
and Carolyn said he also found it to be a very
romantic place. Mike had spent years living in
Los Angeles in an apartment complex off the
Sunset Strip, filing stories for newspapers including
the Sunday Times and Guardian. He had interviewed
many of the big stars and directors – once even
ending up in costume in a crowd scene on a
Nicholas Roeg film set.
“It broke his heart that he couldn’t return there,”
said Carolyn. “He wanted to see his old friends.
And what about people who have family living on
the other side of the world? When you are dying you
want to see your children or grandchildren and give
them a hug.”
Mike passed away last year (2014). At the end of
the service mourners were played ‘California’ by
The Beach Boys and ‘California Dreaming’ by The
Mamas and Papas.
We never asked how long he
had. He didn’t want to know
and if he didn’t, neither did
I. With cancer you have so
few choices but this was our
choice and something we
could control whether
or not to know.
Raising awareness of insurance problems for
cancer patients is now one of Carolyn’s major
concerns, and increasing the publicity of companies
that do consider people in that position, such as
InsureCancer, is something she sees as a longterm goal.
Mike’s story highlights how urological cancers can
affect anyone at any time, and despite all of the
advances in treating them, there are still a great
number of people every year who are unable to
overcome them.
Help us fund cutting-edge research
and leading training and education so
fewer lives will be devastated. Visit
theurologyfoundation.org
“I think he would have loved that” says Carolyn.
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
19
Patient Stories
Doctor’s kidney diagnosis helps
her see patient perspective
Abbey told The Urology Foundation: “When I had
my first kidney infection, the pain was very severe. I
woke up one morning not feeling quite right and this
quickly developed into severe pains in one side of
my abdomen. I couldn’t get comfortable no matter
where I positioned myself and I spent most of the
day in bed. The pain got worse and I went to A&E.
By then, I couldn’t keep still because it was so
intense. It was constant and getting worse in waves.
“Initially doctors couldn’t work out what was wrong;
they thought it could be gall stones. I spent four
days in hospital, had some scans, was given some
antibiotics and was sent home as they then thought
it was just a bad kidney infection. They called me in
after a couple of days saying the CT scan showed I
had a very large kidney stone and that I needed an
operation. The stone was blocking the lower part
of my left kidney and doctors didn’t want to wait in
case it got worse.
“I wanted an operation in the summer, because I
didn’t want it to impact my studies, but my surgeon
was reluctant to wait that long. I had it six weeks
before my exams; I tried to take work into hospital
with me but I didn’t get anything done.
“I had a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
where a urologist makes a small cut in the back,
then breaks the stone into small pieces and
removes it through the incision. My stone was
20
Abbey Cargill from Hampshire
was studying for a medical degree
when she had her first kidney
stone. Throughout her studies she
has suffered from continual stones
and UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections)
which left her in agony. Now
aged 24, and a junior doctor, her
experience has shaped the way
she treats her patients.
“I was diagnosed with duplex kidney, essentially two
kidneys in one, which made it almost impossible to
get rid of the stone as it would damage the kidney
when removing it. The duplex kidney was also the
cause of the UTIs I kept getting.
so large it wasn’t moving which was very lucky
because it meant it didn’t cause me any pain. I
was left with a device to drain the kidney for four
days after, which was the worst bit. Fortunately,
I bounced back from the procedure and did fine in
my exams.
“The care I’ve received has been fantastic - almost
all my clinic appointments were taken by my
consultant surgeon who also came to see me in
recovery and on the ward later after the operation.
I have his email address if I have any questions and
I really feel like my surgeon cares.
“The following year, however, I started to have pains
again and knew exactly what it was. Again I went
into hospital for four days. When I had a follow-up,
they said I had stones in the right kidney as well.
“Although being in hospital isn’t fun, it was useful to
me as a medical student. It was valuable to see the
NHS from the perspective of a patient, rather than
a doctor. I don’t think I appreciated before quite how
much being unwell and in hospital can affect your
mood; I am generally a very chipper person, but in
hospital I felt tearful and down at times, particularly
when I didn’t know when I would be able to go
home. In turn, this made tests and investigations
much more significant. This has caused me to
reflect on how freely we, as doctors, sometimes
request tests and investigations for patients
without pausing to think. Of course, these tests are
necessary, but I hope I can remember to think about
how these things might be affecting my patient.
The care I’ve received has
been fantastic - almost all
my clinic appointments
were taken by my consultant
surgeon who also came
to see me in recovery and
on the ward later after
the operation. I have his
email address if I have any
questions and I really feel
like my surgeon cares.
“After my operation failed, I decided with my
consultant that I wouldn’t try and have another.
He’s been great, talking me through the operations
and offering his opinions on what’s best. It doesn’t
bother me day-to-day, but when I do get a kidney
infection I feel really awful. It knocks me back for
ages, so I hope that it isn’t going to keep recurring
every few months. It’s odd - duplex kidney is usually
diagnosed in childhood, so I have no idea why it has
started to affect me now.
“Because of my degree I know all about the
different treatments. I’ve even bought myself some
urine dipsticks so I can diagnose myself with a UTI.
I’ve also asked my doctor to write me an emergency
prescription I can keep at home, so I can start
on antibiotics as soon as I realise. At this stage,
my condition is stable, but that might change. I
may someday need another operation using new
techniques, so I’m grateful for the role The Urology
It was valuable to see
the NHS from the
perspective of a patient,
rather than a doctor.
I don’t think I appreciated
before quite how much
being unwell and in hospital
can affect your mood;
I am generally a very
chipper person, but in
hospital I felt tearful and
down at times, particularly
when I didn’t know
when I would be
able to go home.
Foundation is doing to fund them. The urologists
can’t offer an explanation of why I keep getting
stones, just that I’m awfully young. I haven’t decided
what area of medicine I want to specialise in, but
maybe I should become a urologist so I can find out
for myself!”
Kidney stones is one of the most painful
conditions to suffer from. TUF is funding
work to improve the lives of those affected
by kidney stones. Help us fund more
research into all urology conditions.
Visit theurologyfoundation.org for
more information.
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
21
Medical Insight
Clinical Visit – Micro and Mini PCNLs –
Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital Nadiad, India
By Bhaskar Somani, Consultant Urological Surgeon,
University Hospital, Southampton
Day 4
As a team, four Consultants from Southampton
including two interventional radiologists (Dr Tim
Bryant and Dr Iain Wilson), a paediatric urological
surgeon (Mr Stephen Griffin) and myself, an adult
urological surgeon, went on a clinical visit to
Nadiad, India, funded by The Urology Foundation.
The funding gave us the opportunity to set up
a week’s visit to the Muljibhai Patel Urological
Hospital in Nadiad, India. One of the first
hospitals in India devoted entirely to nephrology
and urology, MPUH has performed more than
12,000 PCNL procedures. Our main goal was to
learn advanced micro and mini PCNL techniques
for paediatric patients here in Southampton.
Our clinical visit was organised via email exchanges
with Dr Mahesh Desai and his team who are worldleading experts in all forms of adult and paediatric
stone treatments. We flew to Mumbai, then went
on to Nadiad where we arrived at the height of
their colourful local festival.
Day 1
By 9am, we had arrived at our hotel, opposite
the hospital. Although named Comfort World,
it was nothing of the sort and really resembled
a building site.
Nevertheless we refreshed and went straight to
the hospital. We were welcomed at MPUH by Dr
Desai and his team. We then participated in various
cases, the most notable of which was ureteroscopy
for stone disease and we had to bail out with
retrograde stenting due to infected material seen
in the renal pelvis.
Following this we changed our hotel and had a late
lunch. In the evening while we were at the gym, we
had quite a dramatic experience as we were asked
to go to the police station to verify our identity.
Thankfully it was quite straightforward in the end.
22
The first case of the day was a 9 month-old girl
scheduled for cystoscopy for further investigation
of incontinence. Review of her MCUG revealed a
suspected right refluxing ectopic ureter to a simplex
right kidney – not a common pathological pattern
in the UK.
Day 2
Our second day began with a teaching session on
paediatric stones by Dr Desai. After this we visited
the different parts of the hospital including the wet
and dry labs and the lecture theatres.
The afternoon commenced with a micro PCNL on
a 3-year-old child for a 1 cm renal stone. This was
one of the index procedures we most wished to see.
This was the first time we had seen a live unedited
version of the procedure. Stone clearance was
achieved using a 16G (4.8F) needle for access, a
0.9mm camera with 10,000 pixels for vision and
a 200micron laser fibre.
Once we finished we retired back to the hotel for
dinner and discussing how we could replicate micro
PCNLs at our unit in Southampton.
Day 3
After reaching the hospital we joined Dr Desai
briefly on his ward round.
This was followed by a stage 3 of adult PCNL for
complete stone clearance. In addition to this we also
saw a robotic partial nephrectomy and could really
appreciate the advantages it had to offer compared
to other modalities of renal sparing surgery – a real
advantage of being on the trip.
Cystoscopy confirmed this in addition to ectopic
left ureter and an abnormal bladder neck. Mr
Griffin assisted the local consultant in confirming
absence of a vagina and diagnosis of the rare Mayer
Rockitansky Syndrome. He also suggested a future
management plan.
Later that afternoon, we visited an ancient
temple near Nadiad.
Day 5
Our last day began with a presentation by Dr Tim
Bryant specifically discussing the Southampton
experience of percutaneous radio frequency
ablation and cryotherapy. Following this we
discussed possible future collaboration in clinical
and academic areas. We then took our transport
back to Ahmedabad and commenced our long
journey back to London.
Bhaskar Somani made national news
in January after using a 3D model
of a patient’s kidney to help him
complete an operation. Read more at:
theurologyfoundation.org/news
What we learnt
This trip enabled our team of 4 enthusiastic
consultants to take time out to see new
minimally invasive percutaneous access
techniques in a completely different
environment. Dr Desai is an inspirational
leader and teacher and we feel honoured
to be given the opportunity, with the help
of TUF, to view these techniques first hand.
As opposed to live surgery at a national
or international meeting, we had ample
opportunity to question Dr Desai about
specific technical details, to view a
state-of-the-art teaching facility, and to
discuss plans to start using micro and mini
percutaneous access in suitable adult and
paediatric patients at our unit.
Since returning, we have already met with
representatives of Polydiagnostic – the
company who market the kit required
and are making arrangements to present
our plans to the local New Procedures
Committee. We are sure that these
techniques can be of benefit to local
paediatric and adult patients and are in no
doubt that our visit to Dr Desai’s unit will aid
our delivery of this stone treatment and open
up opportunities for future collaboration.
In addition to our clinical experiences,
none of us will forget the shared curries,
lassi, chai (Indian tea) and trip to the police
station! These group experiences will stay
with us forever.
In the evening we were invited to Dr Desai’s home
for dinner. His farmhouse was very impressive with
very good selection of vegetarian food.
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
23
Medical Insight
Raveen Sandher Research Progress Report:
Prevalence and functional significance of
Meiotic defects in Severe Male Infertility
By Raveen Sandher, Institute of Ageing and Health, Newcastle University
I started The Urology Foundation Research
Fellowship in September 2013, looking into the
growing medical problem of male infertility and how
to combat it. In 40% of all cases of male infertility,
we do not know the trigger. Given the recent
breakthroughs in sperm extraction and injection
offering otherwise infertile men the chance to have
a child, research into exactly why some men are
impaired in creating sperm is currently lacking.
My work is designed to explore the reasons why
spermatogenesis (the creation of sperm within the
body) is impaired in infertile men and to discover
how to preserve or even restore fertility based on
that information. The results could provide a big
development in the understanding of a field which
would transform the lives of thousands of severely
infertile men in the UK. My planned work has three
connected strands.
First, I have been examining the DNA of patients
who have no or very few quality sperm but show
signs of meiosis having taken place. Meiosis is a
specialised process of cell division that ultimately
results in sperm being produced. The reason for
which I have taken DNA from these patients is in
order to perform whole genome sequencing. This
is the process of determining the complete genetic
code of an individual. These patients are most likely
to have had a higher rate of changes (mutations)
in their genetic code which cause errors during
meiosis, leading to the defective creation of sperm.
Studying their cases allows me to assess the
features of meiotic mutations in more depth.
Second, I will look into the incidence and types of
aneuploidy in sperm. Aneuploidy is a large type of
defect in the genetic code when there is either a
missing chromosome in a cell or an extra one.
The DNA sequencing enables me to detect
how often aneuploidy occurs in sperm and
spermatocytes which again helps me to
understand meiotic mutations more deeply.
24
I have made excellent progress with these two
parts of the project, collecting and banking
relevant specimens from patients.
The third element of my project, however, is
wider-reaching, and is an attempt to contribute to
the endeavour of preserving or restoring fertility in
men, which would be an enormous breakthrough in
the field. This aim is to successfully propagate in the
laboratory, store, and then transplant back human
spermatogonial stem cells. These cells are crucial
in maintaining spermatogenesis as they self-renew
and produce daughter cells that become sperm.
This process is performed in vitro – that is to say –
studying these cells in the lab.
Additionally, in the case of young boys having
treatment for cancer, we need to be able to preserve
the spermatogonial stem cells over a long period of
time so that they may be transplanted when all the
cancer treatment and follow up is finished to restore
their fertility. Doing this involves cryopreservation;
the act of keeping cells at very low temperatures so
that any chemical breakdown of the cell is stopped.
The fact that the transplantation of stem cells
worked in mice proves that the principle works. The
problem, however, is that the way cryopreservation
works is different in humans and mice. Freezing
these cells can cause its own damage, and that
could then possibly have an impact on meiosis
making sperm production difficult. As a result of
this, the work I am doing is to explore clinically safe
ways of preserving spermatogonial stem cells using
cutting-edge techniques, such as vitrification.
The completion of all of my three aims together
would provide an advancement in determining
how to combat male infertility. From being able to
reliably store stem cells for future transplantation
to understanding completely why meiotic mutations
occur and being able to address them, the work
completed during my fellowship has the potential
not only to transform the lives of severely infertile
men in the UK today but also to combat infertility
for years to come.
Raveen’s work has the potential to vastly
improve the long-term fertility prospects
of young men who have had cancer.
Success in this field could have a great
transformative effect on the quality
of their lives and it is crucial that The
Urology Foundation continues to fund this
type of work. For more information visit
theurologyfoundation.org
This process is particularly relevant today as there
is a big issue in trying to preserve or restore future
fertility for boys who have had to have treatment for
cancer at a young age. The cancer treatment tends
to kill or seriously damage the spermatogonial
stem cells in the boy’s testicle. Finding a way to
preserve these cells before the cancer treatment
is started would have a huge impact on the future
life of boys having cancer treatment.
The basic principles of harvesting and propagating
these cells were established using laboratory mice
a decade ago. The cells were removed from a young
healthy mouse and transplanted into a sterile
mouse which restored sperm production. There
remain sizeable challenges, however, in replicating
this technique in humans so that it can be used in
clinical care.
Scientists have not yet established a reliable and
reproducible protocol for culturing the human type
of these stem cells, and we need to ensure that we
can culture enough of them to transplant back into
the testes, restoring sperm production. As part of
my work, therefore, I have successfully investigated
ways of improving the efficiency of culturing the
cells in the laboratory after harvesting in order
to complete this goal.
Raveen aims to make a ground-breaking impact on patient care.
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
25
Medical Insight
TUF Noticeboard
A review of the BAUN
Conference in Glasgow, 2014
In 2014 TUF launched two
new initiatives for nurses.
Our smaller research projects
fund has up to £10,000 available per applicant to fund
nurse-led patient projects that seek to improve clinical
services and patient care, and our second fund has up to
£600 per applicant to pay for nurses to attend an
educational or training course or conference.
To spread the word, TUF attended the annual BAUN
conference in Glasgow on the 24th-25th November last
year. The event was a huge success as we met many
nurses who had previously been unfamiliar with our
work and who were very interested in the opportunities
presented by our new funds. We have since received our
first applications for funding from nurses and we hope
for many more in the future. We will also be attending this
year’s conference in Brighton by which time we hope some
of the attending nurses could well be TUF Alumni!
For Professionals
BAUS Conference: Monday June 15th to Thursday, June
18th. Venue: Manchester Central Convention Complex.
TUF will be present, and Mr Indy Gill will be delivering
the TUF lecture at the conference. We shall also be
awarding our first TUF Research Scholar Medal at
Conference.
BAUN Conference: Monday November 16th to Tuesday
November 17th. Venue, Hilton Metropole, Brighton.
Don’t forget: the next deadline for applications to The
Small Research Projects Fund is the 30th May.
For Fundraisers
Nightrider London: Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 June
Prudential Ride: 100 miles Surrey to London.
Sunday 2 August
Cycle India – Taj Mahal to Jaipur: Thursday 19 November
to Saturday 28 November.
The Great Big Dinner of the Year is happening
throughout November.
26
Who’s who?
TUF links with SURG
TUF spoke to Ashish Kumar at the Specialist
Urological Registrars Group (SURG), a
charity that provides a forum throughout the UK and Ireland
for members to discuss matters and express opinion on
training issues arising on a regional and national level.
What does SURG do? SURG acts to represent the needs
and views of the urology trainee body in the UK offering
all trainees – regardless of stage of training – a voice in
the urological community on a range of factors which
govern our urological care.
We provide a forum throughout the UK and Ireland
for trainee members to discuss matters and express
opinion on training issues arising on a regional and
national level. Such issues that will affect trainees and
consultant urologists within the NHS are debated and
these opinions are expressed on member’s behalf by the
SURG committee. SURG represents Urological trainees
at relevant national meetings including the SAC, ASIT and
ESRU, as well as on BAUS council.
What services do you offer to those trainee urologists
who join your organisation? We offer trainee urologists
access to information on courses, fellowships, post-FRCS,
advice on obtaining funding for research, access to revision
material and contacts to aid career planning, among
other things.
How do you see working with TUF in the future? TUF plays
a vital role in highlighting urological issues that require
greater exposure and clinical research. Through SURG
we have the ability to expose our membership to those
research and training opportunities which in turn allow
the quality of the care provided in the UK to rise. With the
modern day reality of limited funding resources and the
continued desire to provide better treatments and care for
our patients, the important link between SURG and TUF
is perhaps at its most valued point.
If you want to find out more about SURG and how to join,
go to: surg-online.net
We would very much like to thank the patrons, trustees and committee
members of the Urology Foundation for their ongoing support.
PATRONS
RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP REVIEW PANEL
Ronnie Corbett CBE
Handel Evans
Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE
Rosemary Macaire
Jane MacQuitty
Steven Norris
Bruno Schroder
Dr Thomas Stuttaford OBE
In addition to the SEC members, Research Scholarships
are marked by the Review Panel. Our thanks for their
hard work and giving so generously of their time go to:
TRUSTEES
John Tiner CBE, Chairman
Professor Roger Kirby, Secretary
Professor John Kelly, Chairman of the Science and
Education Committee
Christopher Smith, Treasurer
Scott Cormack
Kate Holmes
Roger Plail
David Quinlan
Su Sayer CBE
Mark Speakman
SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
SEC members help shape The Foundation’s funding
priorities and programmes and assess applications
to our research and grants programmes.
Professor John Kelly, Chairman
Professor Marcus Drake
Mr Ian Eardley
Professor Howard Kynaston
Mr Ian Pearce
Professor Abhay Rane OBE
Mr Grant Stewart
Professor Christopher Woodhouse
The Urology Foundation and members of the SEC
would like to thank Professor Clare Fowler CBE who
stepped down from the Board and the SEC earlier this
year following her retirement. Clare had served on both
committees with energy, intelligence and verve. Clare
remains interested in the work of TUF and we will do our
utmost to maintain her high standards! We wish her all
the very best health and happiness in her retirement.
Professor Chris Chapple
Professor Noel Clarke
Professor Christopher Fry
Professor Freddie Hamdy
Professor David Neal
Professor Rob Pickard
Mr Mark Speakman (BAUS president)
Professor William Watson
THE NURSING PANEL
The Nursing Panel is responsible for reviewing and
assessing applications made by nurses to TUF’s Small
Projects fund and Travel Grant fund. Again our thanks
to the panel for their time.
Philippa Aslet
Fiona Sexton (BAUN President)
Bruce Turner (BAUN Education Lead)
STAFF
Louise de Winter
Chief Executive
Serena Wyman
Events Manager
Alastair Bayliss
Communications Officer
(maternity cover)
Kate Skelton
Communications Manager
(on maternity leave)
Sayara Muthuveloe
Fundraising Manager
Oliver Morris
Information & Administration Officer
theurologyfoundation.org T: 020 77139538
27
SUPPORT US
About TUF
Our urology health is vital to our quality of life.
But diseases and cancers of the kidneys, bladder,
prostate and the male reproductive system are
becoming more prevalent and devastating the lives
of many men, women and children in the UK.
The Urology Foundation is committed to
transforming the lives of people with a urology
condition. By working with researchers, urology
and health care professionals we are dedicated to
beating all urology disease so fewer lives will be
devastated.
The Urology Foundation. Leading the fight against
urology disease.
www.justgiving.com/theurologyfoundation/Donate
This is just some of what we do:
•Through our annual research scholarships, we
fund urological trainees, surgeons and consultant
urologists on programmes for 1-3 years of full
time laboratory research.
•We provide training for all urology professionals.
This involves sending both urologists and urology
nurses on clinical visits all around the world. They
bring their new skills back to the UK - improving
care across the country.
•We bring urology professionals together
through special events and meetings. Our
network includes some of the leading figures
in urology and we promote the development of
the community.
If you would like any further information, or indeed would like to host
a fundraiser for The Urology Foundation, please call:
Sayara Muthuveloe, Fundraising Manager: 020 7713 9538
email: [email protected]
Serena Wyman, Events Manager: 01449 737971
email: [email protected]
THE UROLOGY FOUNDATION
Unit 3, Pride Court, 80-82 White Lion Street,
London N1 9PF
T. 020 7713 9538
[email protected]
theurologyfoundation.org
Twitter: @TUF_Tweets
Incorporated in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1985. Registered number 6817868.
Charity number 1128683. Registered office: Unit 3, Pride Court, 80-82 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF