Christian faith, NHS trust, patient care, sickle cell anaemia, support group,
Tuesday 22nd October 2013
The UCKG HelpCentre’s Patient Care Group will be running an awareness-raising event to help local people understand how to combat sickle cell anaemia on Saturday October 26th.
The event takes place between 1pm and 3pm in the HelpCentre at 1st Floor, 71-73 The Broadway, Southall, and the guest speaker will be Annette Gilmore, European Haemoglobinopathy Registry Manager at North West London NHS Trust.
Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited blood condition that affects the shape of sufferers’ red blood cells and can result in severe pain, mostly in the joints.
It is widely believed that people of African and Caribbean descent are more often affected than other ethnicities. In fact, anyone can inherit the disorder including those from Arab countries, Greece, Turkey, Israel Italy, the Iberian Peninsula and Pakistan.
“We hope that people who are worried about the possibility of having this condition themselves or within their families will come along,” said Hazel Browne who leads the UCKG HelpCentre’s Patient Care Group in Southall. “Many people find it easier to learn about health concerns in a neutral environment before going to their GP, and this event will fill that need in respect of sickle cell anaemia.”
The event will open with a lighthearted performance by the HelpCentre’s youth group, the VYG, before getting down to business. As a specialist in sickle cell disease and haemoglobinopathy, Ms Gilmore will be talking about the characteristics of sickle cell disease and the related condition of thalassaemia, and how they affect patients and their families. This will be followed by questions from the audience.
“Our aim is to improve awareness of sickle cell anaemia in our local community,” concluded Hazel. “Patient Care Group volunteers meet many suffers during their regular weekly visits to local hospitals, so we could see a clear need for better understanding of the condition in the area.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
The full address of the venue is UCKG HelpCentre, 1st Floor, 71-73 The Broadway, Southall UB1 1LA
UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort and welcomes all-comers. It reached the UK in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength, providing support and spreading the Christian faith. There are UCKG HelpCentre branches in England and Wales.
Patient Care Group is a community support group of generous minded volunteers from the UCKG HelpCentre who are available to lessen the burden of illness on patients and their families by extending the hand of friendship to them. These make regular visits to patients in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes or their own homes and will also be there for the patients’ families if required.
For further information please contact the UCKG HelpCentre Press Officer via e-mail on press@uckgnew.org or direct line 020 7686 6033.
