Claire Baggott Claire is the Project Manager for our Better Together project Expand Claire joined the team as the Better Together for Healthy Bone Marrow Project Manager in November 2022 and is thrilled to be contributing to such an exciting and far-reaching project. She brings with her a wealth of experience from the private, public and charity sectors and has a real passion for helping organisations to make a positive difference. The Better Together project, with its focus on improving mental wellbeing and reducing feelings of isolation, truly motivates Claire to ensure this project is something that all the alliance charities and their communities can feel proud of, and better for.
Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) Often your main point of contact Expand A CNS is a highly qualified nurse who specialises in a particular area of healthcare. Your CNS is often your main point of contact for information and advice within your healthcare team.
Cord blood Umbilical cord blood Expand Blood from the umbilical cord taken at the time of birth. This source of blood is very high in stem cells and can be used as a stem cell source for a stem cell transplant.
Cyclosporin A medication Expand An immunosuppressant medication given to reduce the problems that your immune system is causing to your bone marrow and allowing it time to recover and start making cells normally again. Tacrolimus is a similar drug used for the same reasons. Find out more about cyclosporin here.
Cytopenia A reduction in the number of mature blood cells Expand There are several types of cytopenia depending on what type of blood cells are depleted: Anaemia - reduced red blood cells Neutropenia - reduced white blood cells Thrombocytopenia - reduced numbers of platelets Pancytopenia - deficiency in all types of blood parts.
Daisy Hall Expand Hi! I’m Daisy from Liverpool. I am the only current member of the youth board that does not have an Aplastic Anaemia diagnosis. My little brother, Nathaniel, was diagnosed with AA in September 2023, shortly after the loss of my father. I decided to take action to build available support for people in my situation! I am dedicated to supporting families of AA patients, as well as people affected by aplastic anaemia that are juggling school or exams. I am a Year 13 A Level student looking to do French at University. I have been involved in charity work for a long time and have finally found a cause close to my heart.
Definitive therapy A type of curative therapy Expand Treatment with the potential of restoring the bone marrow function so that patients can become transfusion-free, at less risk of infection/bleeding and live a more normal lifestyle.
Dr Anita Hill Expand Anita is a Consultant in Clinical Haematology, Lead Consultant for National PNH Service in England, St James Hospital, Leeds
Dr Austin Kulasekararaj Austin is a consultant haematologist at King’s College Hospital, London and leads King's PNH Centre. Expand Austin is a consultant haematologist at King’s College Hospital, London. He has trained and worked at King's since 2004, undertaking research in molecular pathogenesis of MDS and aplastic anaemia. He specialises in bone marrow failures, myeloid malignancies and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. He also leads the King's PNH Centre, which is one of two NHS England-commissioned highly specialised services for PNH.
Dr Bethany Mitchell Bethany is a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist at Belfast Children's Hospital Expand Bethany is a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist at Belfast Children's Hospital
Dr Dominic Culligan Dominic is a consultant haematologist and honorary senior lecturer at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and The University of Aberdeen Expand Dominic Culligan is a consultant haematologist and honorary senior lecturer at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and The University of Aberdeen. He qualified in medicine in 1986 and after training in general medicine and haematology at Kings College Hospital and The London Hospital he became a Leukaemia Research Fund clinical fellow at The University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff. There he completed an MD thesis on aspects of the biology of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) under the supervision of the late Professor Allan Jacobs and went on to complete his training as a Senior Registrar in Cardiff. He moved to Aberdeen in 1996 where he is lead clinician for malignant haematology and specialises in the management of acute myeloid leukaemia, MDS and lymphoma. He is a member of the NCRI AML Working Party, past Chairman of the NCRI MDS Clinical Trials Subgroup and current Chairman of the UK MDS Forum.
Dr Dominic Culligan Expand Dominic is a a Consultant Haematologist, Honorary Senior Lecturer at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and The University of Aberdeen
Dr Keith Wilson Keith is a Senior Lecturer, Honorary and Consultant Haematologist, Clinical Lead for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Expand Keith is a Senior Lecturer, Honorary and Consultant Haematologist, Clinical Lead for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
Dr Morag Griffin Morag is a consultant haematologist and honorary senior lecturer at St James Hospital Leeds. Expand Qualified in 2006 from Dundee University completing haematology training in Sheffield, with an MSC in medical leadership concurrently. Joint clinical lead of the Aplastic anaemia and PNH service in Leeds. Active in clinical trials and having completed the EHA clinical research trials in the haematology programme, Ci and PI for aplastic anaemia and PNH clinics trials phase 1-3. Member of the International PNH interest group, Severe aplastic anaemia working party
Dr Sanjay Tewari Sanjay is a Paediatric Haematologist at The Royal Marsden. Expand Dr Sanjay Tewari completed his post-graduate training in paediatrics in India. After finishing his CCT in paediatrics, he did his haematology training in London, working at Royal Marsden and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Dr Tewari was appointed as Paediatric Haematologist at The Royal Marsden in 2018. His special interests are bone marrow failure syndromes, myeloid neoplasms and chronic myeloid leukaemia. He is a member of CML and aplastic anaemia working groups as well as the European Neuroblastoma Morphology working group. He is also the lead for paediatric leukaemias and the lead for paediatric haematological malignancy diagnostic services at The Royal Marsden.
Dr Sujith Samarasinghe Sujith is a consultant paediatric haematologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. Expand Dr Sujith Samarasinghe is a consultant paediatric haematologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. He completed his medical training at Imperial School of Medicine, London in 1998. He did his paediatric haematology training at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College Hospital, London. He was awarded a PhD in 2010 from University College London in the field of immunotherapy for leukaemia. In 2011, Sujith was appointed as a consultant haematologist in Newcastle but returned to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2014. His areas of expertise include childhood leukaemia and aplastic anaemia. He is the national lead for childhood aplastic anaemia and supportive care, and a co-investigator on two CAR T-cell studies in childhood leukaemia.
Dr Sujith Samarasinghe Expand Sujith is a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist at the Great Ormond Street Hospital
Ella Bearpark (Support Lead) Expand Ella was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in June 2017 and had a stem cell transplant in October later that year. She has since recovered and is currently studying anthropology at Durham university. Being part of the youth board and getting involved with the AAT helps to better the charities available support and create connections with others diagnosed with AAT, which is important to her.
Ellie Dawes, Fundraising and Comms Manager Ellie is the fundraising and communications manager at the AAT Expand Ellie has worked for The Aplastic Anaemia Trust for two years as our Head of Fundraising and Communications. In October 2022, she stepped up as Acting CEO to cover Stevie Tyler's maternity leave. Ellie previously worked as Digital Engagement Manager at Blood Cancer UK, before spending five years in the world of international development, running comms and fundraising as part of the senior team at Child.org. Ellie loves food and once appeared on a TV cooking show! She's passionate about helping charities to be bold, ambitious and inspiring. You can email her at [email protected].
Eltrombopag A type of drug used as part of treatment for aplastic anaemia Expand A drug to help stimulate platelets to grow in the bone marrow.
Emily Roberts, Trusts and Grants Manager Emily works part time securing resources to further the work of the AAT. Expand Emily works part time securing resources to further the work of the AAT Emily enjoys connecting people and organisations who share the same goals. She has twenty years’ experience working in the charity sector in administration, events and fundraising. She loves small charities that punch above their weight which is why she joined the AAT in September 2022. If you’re part of a trust, foundation or organisation that would like to support the AAT community please get in touch at [email protected]