Trustees

Dr Roger Gadsby (Chairman) who has just retired as a GP in Nuneaton and now works for five sessions a week as an Associate Clinical Professor at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick. He has had an interest in pregnancy sickness symptoms since he joined the same practice as Dr Tony Barnie-Adshead in 1979. Together they have carried out research and published papers and articles on pregnancy sickness symptoms. Roger was awarded an MBE in 2009.

Dr Tony Barnie-Adshead is a retired GP in Nuneaton. He has shared research into various aspects of pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis since the mid 1960's. His interest started when a lady with severe symptoms said that it had been such a bad experience that she didn't want to contemplate having another pregnancy and didn't medical science know what was causing it? He has spent the last 45 years researching the answer to that question.

Dr Brian Swallow is a Chartered Health Psychologist and a qualified Social Worker. Until his retirement he taught mental health and clinical psychology at University, and prior to that was the Director of North Humberside Mind. Since the time his wife suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum eighteen years ago he has been undertaking research to identify the causes and effects of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy. His research findings have been published in a number of scientific journals.

Dr Catherine Sykes is Chartered Health Psychologist working as a Senior Lecturer at City University, London. She started her research career at the Health Research Centre, Middlesex University working on projects funded by the European Commission in the field of health promotion and dementia. Dr Sykes then moved to the NHS with a view to putting health psychology theory into practice by improving the experience of patients with coronary heart disease.

Dr Sykes currently focuses her research on family health psychology. She is investigating the experience of pregnant women suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Other research in the field of family health psychology has included a systematic review of psychological intervention for childhood obesity and a comparison of midwives’ and pregnant smokers’ perceptions of stop smoking services.

Dr Sykes is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Health Psychology. She is also an accredited Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and has a private practice in London.

Ms Caroline Pratt is the daughter of Dr Tony Barnie-Adshead. She suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum (severe pregnancy sickness) and was lucky to benefit from the knowledge of her father. She says "It is difficult for people who don't suffer to understand how unpleasant it can be. I think that the work of this charity is important as it is providing support and information for sufferers and carers".

Mrs Liz Hammond is a midwife who worked for twelve years in Nuneaton. She has two young children and suffered with pregnancy sickness in both pregnancies.

Mrs Caitlin Dean is a Registered General Nurse, currently working in General Practice. She has suffered twice with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and is now dedicating her time to setting up the National Support Network for sufferers as well as raising awareness and education amongst Medical Professionals. She has two young boys and a farm. She is expecting her third child now and thanks to the prophylactic treatment regime advocated by the charity and the support from other sufferers the third pregnancy has been much better than the first two.