Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies

 Personal Statement

I am a Registered General Nurse with a long standing interest in nursing practice development and research into supportive, palliative and end of life care.

Academic Interests

In the past decade I have led a programme of work entitled the ‘Macmillan Weight and Eating Studies.’ The studies are recognised both nationally and internationally as delivering new understanding of cancer cachexia (also known as wasting syndrome) and innovations in supportive care for patients and families affected by the syndrome. For example, I have developed and tested the first psychosocial intervention for patients affected by cancer cachexia syndrome; the Macmillan Approach to Weight and Eating (MAWE), available at http://learnzone.macmillan.org.uk/

My work has a growing reputation affording opportunities to speak frequently at medical and nursing scientific meetings. I am an invited member of a number of professional groups, such as the UK Help the Hospices Food and Nutrition Group, whose consensus statement provides national guidance on nutritional care for palliative care patients. I have also established national and international collaborative working relationships with clinical and social scientists. These collaborations have yielded successful grant applications, peer reviewed publications and invitations to act as an expert advisor, including the opportunity to contribute to the development of European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) clinical guidelines.

I offer doctoral supervision to nurses, allied health professionals and social scientists with an interest in research topics relating to the improvement of health outcomes for patients affected by life-limiting conditions and their families.