THE LATEST NEWS FROM YOUR AREA Charity urges Warwickshire residents to ‘Walk this Way’ to help fund vital research into rare autoimmune condition People in Warwickshire are being invited to lace up their trainers and get walking this summer in aid of people living with a chronic, life-limiting autoimmune condition called scleroderma.
breaking research. To get involved with The SRUK Walk or to find out more visit www.sruk.co.uk/walk n
The charity Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK (SRUK) is asking people to get involved with its nationwide walking challenge and raise money for vital research and support. Participants have the option of making their walk physical or virtual and as long or as short as they need. The fundraiser - called The SRUK Walk - aims to raise at least £19,000 to represent the 19,000 people in the UK living with scleroderma. The money will be used to support people affected by the condition and fund research to improve diagnosis, treatment and quality of life. Scleroderma occurs when the body’s immune system becomes overactive and begins to attack healthy tissue, causing hardening of the skin and, in some cases, other organs. It is most common in adults over the age of 40 and can also affect teenagers and young adults, although this is much rarer. SRUK is the only charity solely focused on improving the lives of people with scleroderma and Raynaud’s in the UK through information, support and ground-
International award for resuscitation expert A leading University of Warwick expert in resuscitation and CPR has been recognised for his significant efforts to help save lives by an international professional body. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) has honoured Professor Gavin Perkins, Director of Warwick Clinical Trials Unit in its selection of “Giants” in the field of Resuscitation Science for 2021. He joins Maaret Castren, Peter Morley, Laurie Morrison and Jeff Perlman among an impressive and elite group of notable individuals who have been honoured since 1985 as “giant”. ILCOR bestows this honour on only five individuals every five years. All ILCOR giants are recognized by their ILCOR peers for their outstanding commitment and careers in the field of resuscitation science, and significant contributions to saving lives. Professor Perkins leads Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, based at Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick, where he is Professor of Critical Care Medicine, and he is currently ILCOR Co-Chair. He is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading experts in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). He has been undertaking and publishing resuscitation research for more than 20 years and now leads a clinical trials unit that is producing outstanding research across several clinical domains but particularly in CPR. Gavin has been an active contributor to the International Liaison Committee on n 4 | Warwickshire Now | Issue 54 | July 2021
Resuscitation (ILCOR), the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) for many years and holds major leadership roles in all these organisations. He is currently ILCOR CoChair and Director of Research for the ERC. n
Gavin Perkins, Director of Warwick Clinical Trials
