Prof Sue Ablett (CCLG)
Managing Editor/Chair

Sue joined the CCLG in October 1992.  She is CCLG Executive Director, managing the activities of the Data Centre in Leicester as well as working with the Executive Group to manage CCLG. Sue is the author of Quest for Cure produced to mark the 25th Anniversary of CCLG and has been Managing Editor of Contact since its inception in 1998.

Sue has until September 2007 chaired the CCLG Publications Committee, and has been part of a significant growth in information provision for families.

Sue is a great animal lover, and in her spare time devotes much of her time to looking after her allotment and travelling to far flung places.

Rene Marston (CCLG)
Editor

I joined the CCLG in 1998 with a dual role of Administrative Assistant and Editor of the newly conceived Contact magazine. Since the birth of my boys in 2001 I work part-time as Editor and Information Assistant for the Group. Through my work I have been fortunate to meet and communicate with many people - professionals, parents, patients and survivors - touched by childhood cancer. I have never failed to be amazed and humbled by their courage, dignity and commitment to help others in similar circumstances and it has proved the most rewarding position of my career.

Dr Martin English (CCLG, Birmingham Children’s Hospital)
Medical Advisor

Martin is a Paediatric Oncologist in Birmingham with a practice concentrating on brain and solid tumours. He was previously a consultant in Cardiff, a Senior Registrar in Birmingham and a research registrar in Newcastle. He has been medical advisor to Contact for 4 years and finds it a really useful way to look at things from a different angle. He is married to Sue and has two children, Matthew and Sophia.

Gill Thaxter, The Lisa Thaxter Trust
Sponsor

Gill has been on the Contact board since its launch, representing its sponsors, The Lisa Thaxter Trust.

Gill’s daughter Lisa died in 1994 aged 12 from osteosarcoma. She is married to Geoff who works as Director of Services for CLIC Sargent. They have another daughter, Rebecca, who is 28.

Dr Anthea Martin
Former Patient

I was 14 years old when I was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in 1989. Being in and out of hospital for a year led to a fascination with the workings of the human body, and I went on to do a degree in Biomedical Sciences and a PhD in cancer molecular biology. After all that, I decided lab work wasn't for me and swapped the white coat and test tubes for a computer and a career in medical writing. I'm now settled in London, and working as a Science Information Officer for Cancer Research UK. I absolutely love my job (not that that makes the hour's commute every morning any easier!) and even enjoy living in the big smoke. I am extremely honoured to be a member of the Contact Editorial Board - it is a fantastic resource for anyone affected by childhood cancer and I wish it had been around when I was ill.

Sally Amos (Leeds, Candlelighters)
Parent

Sally Amos is the Adminstrator of the Candlelighters Trust, the charity which supports work of the Adolescent & Paediatric Oncology Unit in Leeds and funds research into childhood cancer. Her daughter Vanessa was treated for Ewings Sarcoma at Jimmys and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham when she was 14. Now 36 Vanessa has a four year old daughter and triplets aged 3 proving that treatment doesn't necessarily reduce fertility - patients beware!

Ruth Kerslake
Parent

Bridget Pepper
Parent

My youngest daughter Rosie was diagnosed with Wilms Tumors in 1994 and I have been involved in Contact from the first edition. It would have been lovely to have had this magazine when Rosie was receiving treatment! Unfortunately Rosie didn't survive. I live and work in Sussex, and spend a lot of my spare time raising funds for research into childhood cancer.

Patricia Smith
Parent

Patricia fund raises for the research of ewings sarcoma which claimed the life of her only daughter Krystle, aged 18 years, in March 2002. She got involved with the encouragement of John Dealey of the Adam Dealey fund.

Patricia lives Arklow Co Wicklow Ireland and found the Contact Magazine a very valuable tool in helping to raise funds as it brought awareness to the people, while on her rounds raising the money. She is married to Chris and gave up employment during Krystles illness, she worked in sales and Marketing, and accountancy and never returned after Krystles death. She uses her work related skills to fund raise and to build her small charity. She has two sons Stephen aged 26 years and Darren aged 18 years.

Rachael Olley
NACCPO

Rachael is NACCPO Operations Manager. She is married with two sons, Connor and Max. Connor was diagnosed with leukaemia (ALL) in May 2002. Rachael is also a member of the CCLG Siblings Project Group. Rachael is also a member of the CCLG Publications Committee.

Angela Houlston (John Radcliffe Hosp, Oxford)
Nurse/PONF

I have worked as a children's cancer nurse at the John Radcliffe Hospital for over 19 years. I am currently the Lead Nurse for paediatric oncology and haematology in the new children's hospital in Oxford. This is an interesting and challenging position and after all these years I can honestly say that I ma never bored and that there is always something new to learn! I am an active member of the Royal College of Nursing's Paediatric Oncology Nurses Forum and represent this organisation on the Contact Editorial Board.

Jane Cope (Cardiff)
Centre Link

Jane Cope is a paediatric neuro-oncology outreach nurse based at the new children's hosital for Wales. Contact person for families with a child with a brain tumour in South Wales who is either having chemotherapy or radiotherapy or has finished treatment.I will visit them at home and also have links with the child's school.

John Rolinson, Trident Communications
Production

John Rolinson is the deputy regional manager at Trident Communications, the agency that designs and produces Contact magazine. With a client base that ranges right up to multi-national companies, John says that is refreshing to work on Contact, a magazine that provides an essential service to a very special audience.

Sarah Talbot-Williams, CLIC Sargent Sponsor

Louise Kirk, Survivor