Who we are

Trustees

Tony Allen - Chair

Tony Allen, a chartered accountant, studied economics at Cambridge. With expertise in accounting and global consulting, he became Chair at MDS UK after being diagnosed with MDS in 2020 - Read More

Lin Holder - Vice Chair & Treasurer

Lin has extensive sales and marketing experience and later became a teacher, specialising in accounting, bookkeeping and ICT. Lin has been involved with MDS UK since 2018, due to her husband Ron's diagnosis - Read More

Russell Cook

Russell Cook, a financial adviser, raises awareness of MDS and rare blood disorders. He had three bone marrow transplants to successfully deal with his MDS - Read More

Claudia Richards - Secretary

Claudia, a trilingual PA, was diagnosed with MDS-MLD in 2009. Since then, she has been deeply involved with MDS UK, dedicating her time to organising events, fundraising, campaigning, writing, proof-reading and more - Read More

Reverend Kes Grant

Reverend Kes Grant, an original member of the MDS UK Patient Group since 2006, has made tremendous contributions to MDS UK events, fundraising, support, blog writing and more - Read More

Jen Goodison

Based in Sheffield, Jen Goodison is the Director of Risk and Controls for Financial Crime Detection at a global bank. She has a background in therapy radiography and technology roles in financial services - Read More

Maeve MacRory

Maeve has over 20 years experience in charity and public sectors, primarily in strategy, project management, and fundraising. Recently, she shifted to the regulatory realm, aiding UKHSA post-pandemic, enriching her understanding of health challenges - Read More

Astashia Gonsalves

After completing her degrees in 2020, Atashia first worked in an NHS lab tracking COVID variants. In 2022, she moved to Cambridge for a biotechnology company, managing clinical research trials. - Read More

Lynda Harris

Lynda is a Data Protection Officer with NHS experience, running her own Data Protection Services company. She is also an RSPCA Trustee and passionate about raising MDS awareness. Read More

Regional Ambassadors

Claudia Richards

Maureen Sturrock

Maureen, a retired forensic psychiatrist, raises awareness of MDS Patient Support in Scotland and encourages more patients and carers to join the meetings which she has found so helpful - Read More

Tess & Gordon Brown

Tess and Gordon Brown joined MDS UK in 2014, becoming ambassadors and hosting support meetings in Bournemouth. Sadly, Gordon passed away in December 2024, a year after his MDS progressed to AML - Read More

Sophia Taylor

Sophia Taylor joined MDS UK after her grandfather's 2017 diagnosis. She set up the Midlands Regional group and became an ambassador, holding the first meeting in 2019. - Read More

- Charlie Lobley (Yorkshire)

Patrons

Professor Ghulam Mufti

Professor Mufti, an internationally renowned specialist in MDS, heads the haematology department at King's College Hospital in London. We feel delighted and honoured to have him as our Patron - Read More

Dr. Austin Kulasekararaj

Dr. Austin Kulasekararaj, a consultant haematologist at King’s College Hospital, specialises in bone marrow failures, myeloid malignancies, and transplantation. He became a patron for MDS UK in 2024 - Read More

Caitlin Limmer

Caitlin, through her years of dedication, has raised awareness and funds for MDS UK, including running 17 marathons! As Patron, she has made a huge positive impact for MDS patients, doctors, and researchers - Read More

Ted Peel - Patron

Ted served 32 years with the Metropolitan Police, including roles in CID and anti-terrorism. Diagnosed with MDS in 2015, he became Chair in 2017, then stepped down to become a Patron in March 2024 - Read More

Clinicians

Dr Dominic Culligan - Consultant Haematologist

Dr. Culligan, a consultant haematologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, specialises in managing AML, MDS, and lymphoma. He actively advises MDS UK Patient Support Group and is Chairman of the UK MDS Forum - Read More

Staff

Debbie Hickman - Acting CEO

Debbie experienced outstanding support from MDS UK for her family. Her extensive management career, including a national charity role, led her to join MDS UK in 2022 to offer the same support to others - Read More

Ashleigh Venables - Fundraising Officer

Experienced in fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK and RNIB, Ashleigh joined MDS UK in May 2022. Contact Ashleigh for fundraising and volunteering opportunities - Read More

Zoya Mathison - Office Manager

Zoya has a background in TV production and joined MDS UK in 2023. After losing her best friend to cancer she wanted to work in an environment that advocates for cancer patients - Read More

Chaudian Morgan - Membership & Database Assistant

Chaudian brings experience from both public and private healthcare sectors and oversees membership and membership outreach at MDS UK - Read More

Kate Vahl - Web Editor

Kate, a former web and radio producer at the BBC, including the BBC Health website, joined MDS UK as the Web Editor in May 2022. - Read More

Website & IT Support

Comes from our ever helpful webmasters who manage our site with genuine care for our organisation and services - Read More

Past staff, members & friends

It would be impossible to list all the people who have helped the charity evolve over the years - past staff, committee members, trustees, advisors, fundraisers and ambassadors – we owe each of them a huge debt of gratitude, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. Some gave up their ‘official’ post after many years of unstinting support, but still help out on occasions, or keep an eye on us from afar.

Sophie Wintrich

Sophie, co-founder of MDS UK, helped secure drug approvals and provided patient support for over 15 years, leaving a lasting legacy for the MDS community in the UK. Read more

Chris Dugmore

Chris, previously a Trustee, Committee member and Volunteer Coordinator retired in July 2024 after thirteen years of dedicated service to MDS UK. Read more