Members of the TNA UK Executive Committee
TNA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jillie Abbott Chairman
Jan Bruten Secretary
George Cunningham Treasurer
Prof Joanna Zakrzewska Medical Advisor
Clive Clifton Membership Officer
Anna Lacey Telephone Helpline (for members)
Hilary Rushton Email Helpline
Michael Grimes Webmaster
Rev. Tom Pritchard Publications Officer and Local Support Group Co-Ordinator
Following various secretarial, PR and customer relations jobs - mainly in the motor and airline industries - I was, for 17 years, co-owner and director of a successful limited company operating a small group of fast-fit/MOT centres in South London.
My TN started in 1998 while I was working ridiculously long hours, six days a week, and I’m only too aware of the effect of stress on TN. To date, with the help of various complementary therapies and coping mechanisms, I’ve managed reasonably well on medication and have not had any surgical procedures, though would not rule out anything in the future.
On selling the business nine years ago, my plan was to travel, renew old friendships, enjoy a spot of gardening and decorating and perhaps take up golf. Instead of that, since attending the TNA USA conference in 2002, I’ve become quite heavily involved in the TNA UK - initially as Regional Support Group Co-ordinator, setting up groups across the country, and more recently as Deputy Chairman and now Chairman, responsible for the running of the Association.
I’ve enjoyed taking the TNA display stand and literature to various seminars and meetings across the country over the past five years and, in particular, arranging the TNA UK’s first two-day conference at Keele University in 2007, which was also attended by medical healthcare professionals, and this year's event in London. My involvement with the charity has been and continues to be a fascinating and very worthwhile experience, mainly due to the people I’ve come into contact with and their desire to help others in the same situation.
Professional: I am a Medical Secretary in the Mental Health Centre of a large
hospital in Harrow, where I live. My Consultant's special interests are
neuropsychiatry and early onset dementia.
TN: I have suffered with episodic TN for 9 years, which is controlled with
medication.
TNA-UK - My favourite role within the Association is my membership of the
Telephone Contact Support Team, which enables me to have direct contact with
fellow sufferers.
Professional background: After national service my first career was in the diplomatic service, serving at home and abroad for seven years. I quit to go into politics and was a Member of Parliament for 13 years and during that time also briefly a Member of the European Parliament. After losing my seat in 1983, I was chief executive of the professional body of librarians and information scientists. Now retired. I have been leader of the TNA’s West London support group for three years.
TN history: TN hit me ten years ago. Normally, the manifestations are not severe and I have had several periods of remission. Being allergic to Carbamazepine, I have rung the changes with alternative medications and have sometimes been able to do without any.
Clive Clifton
Membership Secretary
I was a War baby, born in 1944 and weaned on national dried milk; still remember getting my sweets on ration books in the ‘50s; grew up to real music in the ‘50s and ‘60’s; passed my motorcycle test first, then I passed my car test in the Territorial Army, where I served in The Royal Military Police for 12 years, which is where I got my warped sense of humour from, I think.
I was an HGV driver for many years and, for five years, I ran a motorcycle enduro club. I have just completed 26 years with Thames Water, looking after Pumping Stations. We all have to do a call-out rosta every four weeks and that can keep me very busy.
A weekends, when I’m not working, I’m a volunteer at Brooklands Museum, doing preservation and conservation of aircraft. In the summer I go to a lot of steam rallies; I have two stationary engines of my own that I’m currently restoring.
I am well travelled in Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Thailand, Bali, Malaysia and South Korea. I might be going to Australia again early next year.
I had an MVD operation last year for TN. Apart from a couple of turns, it seems a great success - I am pain free and off all medication for now.
With all that excitement I was too busy enjoying myself, which is why I am still single.
Joanna M. Zakrzewska BDS, MB BChir, MD, FDSRCS, FFDRCSI, FHEA
Medical Advisor
After obtaining dental ( Kings College London), medical ( University of Cambridge ) degrees and specialist training in oral medicine Joanna Zakrzewska went on to specialize in orofacial pain. Her MD on trigeminal neuralgia led to further clinical research in this field. She spent ten years as an academic at Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry were she was awarded a personal chair in facial pain. In April 2007 Joanna Zakrzewska moved to a NHS post at Eastman Dental Hospital, University College London Hospitals in order to set up a national centre of excellence in facial pain. She has written four books on orofacial pain, contributed to over 10 chapters and written over 80 peer reviewed papers on the theme of orofacial pain. She lectures extensively both nationally and internationally. She is a member of the TNA US medical advisory board.
Hilary Rushton - E-mail Helpline
I gave up work, as a Family Court Welfare Officer in the Probation
Service, 7 years ago.I am married to the long-suffering Bob. We have
three children, one of whom is a full-time mum to our six-year-old
granddaughter Molly, 18month-old Mia and 4-month old Max. Our son is
a police officer, due to be the next Chief Constable of the West
Midlands, but he's just a PC at the moment! Our younger daughter is a
Psychiatric nurse. My TN is as a result of my Multiple Sclerosis,
which I have had since I was 23 (I am now 60) The TN began really
savagely in 2002, and has come and gone since then. I haven't
undergone any procedures, relying solely on drugs to control the
pain. The drugs affect my walking, but as long as they keep the TN at
bay, I'm not complaining! I am now also gripped by osteoporosis, but
still, any pain is minor compared with TN!
Michael Grimes - Webmaster
Is a Chartered Engineer who spent most of his life designing and building chemical process plant at home and abroad. He has used computers for many purposes for many years and (most of the time) enjoys being webmaster.
Since retiring in 1991 he has found himself involved with several local charities and clubs. He is a past president of Oxted and Limpsfield Rotary club and has served on the Oxted Parish Council. He has so far avoided TN.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tom Pritchard BEd, MSc(Econ), BTh (Hons) - Publications
I originally trained as a teacher and then taught science in Birmingham, before going into the Youth Service in Somerset. Afterwards, I went to South Wales to set up and manage a youth employment programme based on community projects, funded by the Department of Employment, followed by three years as the Special Projects Officer for Mid Glamorgan CC. In 1986 we moved as a family to Cornwall to take over a small manufacturing business, which was not very successful! I was fortunate to be able to return to teaching, this time teaching Business Studies and Economics. In 1993 my full-time teaching career was halted by an industrial accident: a classroom ceiling fell on my head! This caused a compression fracture of the 4th cervical vertebra and head injuries.
During the long time of recovery, I felt drawn to ordained ministry and retrained for Anglican Ministry whilst lecturing part-time in Marine Economics and HRM. I served in parishes in Cornwall and Llangollen, at one time being a Director of Reader Training, until I took ill- health retirement in 2007 because of TN.
My TN career is varied, having first been diagnosed about 1984, when all my wisdom teeth were extracted. In about 1998 I had a nerve block, followed by an MVD in 2007 and diathermy in 2008. TN is now reasonably controlled by Gabapentin 5 x 300 mg per day.
I am trying to set up a TN Regional Support Group in Cornwall.
My role as (National) Local Support Group Co-Ordinator is as follows:
1. To support existing Local Support Groups where they exist.
2. To revive dormant groups and to identify, train and encourage effective local leadership.
3. To establish new groups in those areas that have membership but no group at present.
4. To report to the Executive Committee about the activities of local groups and to disseminate information from the EC and the Medical Advisory Board.
5. To provide advice and training to Local Support Group Leaders and those who might consider becoming local leaders.
6. To identify and model good practice where it exists and share that information.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Anna Lacey – Telephone Helpline (for members)
I am a self-employed mum with two daughters. I am a good boss and have all the time I need to come to terms with this "challenge" - my girls' description.
I developed Vago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia at the end of a year that involved divorce and a house move - couldn't I just have had flu? So stress related?
I am controlled on carbamazapine at the moment. I don't have a visible area for surgery so do not have that option open to me, yet.
This page was updated on 13 December 2009
