New Deputy Chairman at MDS UK
22 May. 2015MDS UK has a new deputy chairman – 21/05/15
We are very happy to announce the election of Russell Cook as a new Deputy Chairman for MDS UK.
Russell has been a Committee Member since 2014, then Trustee and Director since early 2015.
Russell had a life-saving stem cell transplant 3 years ago, to treat MDS – Myelodysplastic Syndromes. The stem cell donor was his son Luke. Russell has since ran several marathons and organised several brilliant fundraising events for MDS UK.
We very much welcome him in his new role, and look forward to continued work with him.
You can read more about Russell on our Committee webpage
And on our Patient story page.
John Taylor – who was our Deputy Chair to date has stepped down from the role due to health reasons – but will remain on the Committee as a trustee, in an advisory capacity due to his in-depth knowledge of the Charity Commission regulations.
We take this opportunity to thank John for his excellent work – and are most grateful for his continued guidance and advice going forward.
More information on John Taylor here
Our current Chairman – Rodney Taylor – is continuing in his role. He is gradually recovering from the stem cell transplant he received in July 2014.
As MDS patients will know – recovery from a stem cell transplant is a slow and often very tiring process. Rodney is therefore stepping back slightly and temporarily, whilst Russell will cover the work in his new role of deputy chairman.
We wish Rodney continued best wishes with the recovery – and hope to welcome him back very soon.
More information on Rodney on our Committee page – as well as on our treatment information page – under azacitidine – which he received for over 4 years – until he stopped responding to this drug and needed to have the stem cell transplant. Read here.
MDS UK is also calling for new volunteer trustees.
If you are interested in applying for such a post – please check the following link in the first instance: Trustee role – What’s involved
MDS UK would like to hear from you, in particular if you are an MDS patient yourself, or connected to an MDS patient in some way.
Please contact us by email or letter, explaining why you wish to be considered as a trustee and how your skills or experience may benefit the charity.
We may then contact you by phone and request relevant references.
Please email: swintrich@mds-foundation.org
Or write to:
Sophie Wintrich
MDS UK Patient Support Group
Haematology – Bessemer Wing
King’s College Hospital
London SE5 9RS
We are also looking for a Newsletter Editor
If you have good knowledge of MDS, and/or the healthcare industry, and enjoy proof-reading – we would like to hear from you.
Our newsletter goes out twice a year to all our members and most of the haematology departments in the country.
See all our Newsletter here.
Our current Newsletter Editor – Chris Dugmore – is stepping down – as she is about to become a Grandmother twice over.
Chris is staying on as a Committee Member however – and of course as coordinator of our Essex MDS patient group.
We’d like to thank her profusely for her fantastic work with the last 5 newsletters. We regularly have great feedback from patients, carers and staff – thanks to her great input.
We wish her all the best in her Grandma role and hope all goes extremely well with both births!
Please email: swintrich@mds-foundation.org
