Many thanks to everyone who came along to the Stroud Hospitals League of Friends Annual General Meeting at the Subscription Rooms on Wednesday 13th September with our President, Dr Roy Lamb, in the Chair.
All seats were taken to listen to our Guest Speaker, Mr James Bristol MD FRCS talk about ‘The Genomics Revolution – the 100,000 Genomes Project and You’.
Mr Bristol explained that the study of Genomics is based on our understanding of DNA. DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a sugar group and a nitrogen base. The four types of nitrogen bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). The order of these bases is what determines DNA’s instructions, or genetic code. A Genome is your unique sequence of DNA, over 3 billion letters long, found in almost every cell of your body. That is what makes You, You. The national 100,000 Genomes Project began in 2012 to sequence 100,000 genomes from patients with cancer and rare disorders. A sample of blood, saliva and a piece of tumour are taken and the data gathered could enable early disease detection, target disease prevention, accelerate diagnosis and target therapies in the future.
Dr Gordon Horner, Chair of the League of Friends, presented the Trustees’ Annual Report which outlined some of the equipment and services funded by the League at Stroud General Hospital, Stroud Maternity Hospital, Weavers Croft and the Dental Department at Redwood House, Stroud. Mr Tony Crook, Mr Previn Doshi and Dr Susie Weir were all elected as new Trustees at the last Annual General Meeting in September 2016. Dr Horner thanked the Trustees for all the work they undertake on a voluntary basis and also the volunteers and members who support the League of Friends.
After his report, Dr Horner, who had accepted the role on a temporary basis at the AGM in September 2016, stood down as Chair of the League of Friends. The meeting appointed a new Chair, Dr Roma Walker who has been involved with the League as Vice Chair over the last eight months. She told the meeting that she was looking forward to carrying on the work of the League of Friends, spending the monies from donations and legacies wisely and building on the good work carried out by members in the last 40 plus years.
The President, Dr Lamb informed the meeting that next year would be his last Annual General Meeting. He would continue whilst a replacement was found and hoped to be able to introduce them at the next Annual General Meeting. He told the meeting the previous half century with the League had been most interesting and he was pleased with all the support given to the League.
Both the President and the new Chair gave their formal, and personal, thanks to Mr James Eddyshaw who has stood down as a Trustee of the League and a member of the Executive Committee.
Photo shows our main speaker, Mr James Bristol.