Our chairperson and head of the Dupuytren section: – Anna Schurer
Vet Anna became involved with the British Dupuytren’s Society in 2011 and became chair in 2014. She has Dupuytren’s disease and has had two operations on her right hand. Both her parents also suffer from Dupuytren’s, and her father has had several procedures for it.
Anna has been involved in the Society from the start and is one of the founders, and has worked with the International Dupuytren Society and with NICE on patient issues.
Our treasurer – Annemarie McNish
Annemarie became our treasurer in 2014, and has been a great asset organising the finances. She has mild Dupuytren’s disease in both hands but no contractures. She has had two frozen shoulders. Annemarie is a retired mother of five children and has two grand daughters. She enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family.
Our Ledderhose section:
Gary Manley Volunteer Patient
Trustee Gary has Ledderhose disease and had radiotherapy treatment in 2012. Gary is a former scientist with a degree in Molecular Genetics. He runs a successful blog about Ledderhose and has undertaken a fundraising running challenge for the British Dupuytren’s Society.
Mr George Flanagan FCPodS
Mr Flanagan is a Podiatric Surgeon working in Blackpool and Northampton with a particular interest in Ledderhose disease. He teaches and lectures extensively on the subject, and is interested in all possible treatment options for Ledderhose disease.
Our Peyronie’s section:
Birgir Gislason
Birgir runs his own website about Peyronie’s disease which offers help and support to men with the condition based on Birgir’s own experiences, as well as the experiences of the many people who have contacted him.
Mr David Ralph BSc MS FRCS (Urol)
Professor Dominic Furniss DM MA, MBBCh, FRCS (Plast)
M
r Furniss is a specialist registrar in plastic and reconstructive surgery in Oxford. In 2012 he was awarded a prestigious Wellcome Trust Intermediate Fellowship – the first ever awarded to a plastic surgeon – and began working in NDORMS, studying the molecular genetic basis of Dupuytren’s Disease. Since then, his research interests have broadened to investigate the genetic and non-genetic causes of common hand surgery conditions. His clinical interests are in the fields of hand surgery, and supermicrosurgery for the treatment of lymphoedema.
Mr Henk Giele MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRACS (Plastics), MRACMA
Mr Henk Giele is an experienced consultant in the field of plastic reconstructive and hand surgery working at Oxford University Hospitals. He is a surgical specialist who trained in Australia and is accredited in plastic surgery in both its reconstructive and cosmetic aspects. His training included a year of microsurgical research at the Bernard O’Brien Institute of Microsurgery, St Vincent’s Surgery run by the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (2000-2005), and by running the training programme for plastic surgical trainees in the Oxford-Wessex region as the programme director.
Radiotherapy Treatment:
Dr Richard Shaffer MBBS, BSc (Hons), MRCP, FRCR
Dr Shaffer initially became interested in treating Dupuytren’s disease as a result of his experience treating skin cancers with radiotherapy, and an on-going interest in using radiotherapy as a treatment for benign conditions. He has a private practice- The Dupuytren’s Practice based primarily in Hampshire – but he treats people with Ledderhose disease, Plantar fasciitis and early stage Dupuytren’s disease in many locations in England. He has acted as a specialist advisor for NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) on the issue of radiotherapy for Dupuytren’s disease, and acts as a medical expert on the Dupuytren’s Disease Support Group and other online patient forums.
International connections:
Dr Wolfgang Wach
Dr Wach has suffered from Dupuytren’s and Ledderhose disease for almost thirty years. He started the International Dupuytren’s Society in 2003, an international non-profit organisation focused on supporting patients and finding a cure, and is a founder of the British Dupuytren’s Society. He has contacts all over the world, helps to set up new Dupuytren’s Societies where necessary and brings scientists together to work towards better understanding and treatment of Dupuytren’s and related conditions.