Dr Aurelia (Ellie) McCann has been a Consultant in General (Internal) Medicine and Respiratory Medicine since 2009. She completed the 2-year Diploma in Palliative Medicine at Cardiff University in 2010. She became Medical Director at Bolton Hospice in July 2017, and joined the hospice full time as Medical Director and Consultant Physician with a specialist interest in Palliative Medicine in April 2020, after a 20+ year career in the NHS. Her specialist interests remain Respiratory Medicine as well as Palliative Medicine.

Louise Wright An energetic & inspirational leader, Louise is at her best leading & motivating teams to reach new heights. She constantly raises the bar for herself & others & has a passion for helping develop those around her to achieve results beyond their expectations. Professional, compassionate, thoughtful, & determined – qualities that have transformed the scale, services & reach of Back Up under her stewardship as CEO

Louise is a dynamic leader. as Chair of Back Up (https://www.backuptrust.org.uk/). Louse was the CEO for 10 years and throughout that time pioneered growth, inclusion and sustainability to leave a larger, more professional organisation; but one still connected to its roots and those it serves. Louise’s style is open and collaborative; she builds positive relationships with her staff team and key stakeholders. She is supportive and ably coached her SMT to grow and develop personally and professionally in order to make the most of everyone’s potential. Louise is driven, ambitious and strives for results and does not shy away from making difficult decisions. She was a delight to work with and will be a fun and strong addition to any organisation.

Steve Jones worked for 35 years as an international development consultant specialising in social and economic problems of rural poverty in South Asia and Africa. He ran his own consultancy practice and worked for clients including the United Nations, the World Bank, the UK government and EU. He is now retired.

Steve was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2008. For the first five years, the disease progressed slowly and he continued to work and led a reasonably full life. In 2013 his condition deteriorated. He was fortunate to receive a single lung transplant in March 2016.

Steve is currently Secretary and Vice-Chair of the Papworth Hospital Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group. He is also a member of the Papworth Hospital Transplant Patients Support Group committee.

Steve was a founding trustee of a Cambridge charity – the Centre for Global Equality. He is also a Parish Councillor.

Steve is very pleased to have been asked to join Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis as Chair. He believes that further effort is needed to strengthen the network of support groups across the country and to reach out to people with IPF living in remote areas or who are otherwise isolated.

Steve has recently been elected as President of EU-IPFF European Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

EU-IPFF has 21 member organisations representing countries all over Europe, who unite their voices in the European organisation sharing experiences, sharing knowledge and communicating about PF care and treatment in the various countries. In this way we create impact and influence on how the individual country handle the disease.

EU-IPFF works in various ways to raise awareness of the fact that Pulmonary Fibrosis is a devastating disease for both the people affected by it and their relatives.

We set up awareness campaigns, develop material for carers, doctors and patients, arrange webinars and summits with professionals and specialists sharing their research, thoughts, knowledge and enthusiasm to really make a difference in the PF area.

Abdul Ashish Consultant Respiratory Physician with broad experience in Respiratory Medicine. Wh completed my specialist training in Merseyside and finished his clinical research and has been awarded an MD. Dr Abdul Ashish has published extensively in all aspects of Respiratory Medicine over the years.

He has been a Consultant at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust, Royal Edward Infirmary since 2011. he is the lead clinician for Respiratory Medicine in his trust and the Divisional Medical Director of the Medical division. He is actively involved in the training of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors. He is an Honorary senior lecturer at Edge Hill University and a Royal College Examiner.

Dr Ashish also holds the position of Greater Manchester Respiratory Medicine Research lead with the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) leading a number of clinical research trials for my organisation.

Apart from doing General Respiratory clinics in his day to day work, he runs specialist clinics for patients with Interstitial Lung diseases (pulmonary fibrosis) and patients with connective tissue diseases ( rheumatoid arthritis etc) and lung fibrosis. He is active in clinical research and strives to provide the best care for his patients.

He is passionate about providing high-quality clinical care for my patients and believe in open and honest communication with them

Peter Bryce was diagnosed with IPF in November 2013. From that point, he began to raise money for the Pulmonary Foundation Trust, and have since become more involved with the administration. This has included arranging rental of stairlifts, POC, mobility scooters, reclining chairs etc, all funded by the Trust. His aim is to continue the excellent work started by the original Trustees and do what he can to help and support those suffering with PF. He is married to Ann, and between them, they have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.

Stef has worked in charities for over twenty years, and particularly health charities, including Motor Neurone Disease and Spinal Cord Injury charities.  With a background in developing volunteering, she came to APF recently to help set up the new Research Champions project, working closely with Wendy Adams, APF’s Research Manager and Steve Jones, Chair of APF. She lives in Hitchin, Hertfordshire with her three-year old daughter. Stef will introduce the Research Champions project and tell us what it’s all about.

Fiona Foden started her career as a Radiographer in 1988, transferring into operational managerial roles after several successful secondments in specialist advisory roles to regional and national professional bodies.  She went on to hold senior positions including Divisional Director of Operations at Salford Royal Foundation Trust and Director of Operations and Performance at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust, before joining the Board at The Christie in 2015 as Chief Operating Officer at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, for four-and-a-half years, She then moved to The Royal Bolton NHS Trust as Chief Executive

Helen Morris is an Interstitial Lung Disease specialist nurse at UHSM. She graduated from the University of Salford with a nursing diploma in 1998. She worked at UHSM in acute medicine on a general medical ward and a medical assessment unit.

She developed an interest in respiratory medicine during this time and began work on the acute respiratory wards at UHSM in 2001 as a senior staff nurse. She studied for her degree whilst working on the respiratory wards and became ward sister. Helen left UHSM to work in the community in 2006 as an Active Case Manager in Central Manchester looking after a caseload of patients with complex long term conditions.

In 2009 Helen returned to UHSM as a COPD specialist nurse working in the community and acute setting and the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service. In 2013 she started working at UHSM as the Interstitial Lung Disease specialist nurse.

Helen is very well know to the members of support group, along with her colleagues Katie Zakis and Tracey Marshall., many of our members attend Wythenshawe hospital on a regular basis. Helen, despite her very busy schedule, always tries to visit us twice a year. She and her dedicated team are held in high esteem amongst our members.

They won the Nursing Times Awards for Respiratory Nursing in 2018 and have been short listed in this years awards for Respiratory Nursing

• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Introducing a regional virtual support group for pulmonary fibrosis patients and relatives during Covid-19

The winners of the 31st Nursing Times Awards will be announced at a glittering evening ceremony at the Grosvenor Park Hotel  86-90 Mayfair London on 27th October 2021. We wish them every success.

Helen and her team have been very proactive in supporting our campaign for the new Wythenshawe Satellite Clinic soon to be opened at Bolton One, once the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and face to face clinics resume.