Fiona hosted the inaugural Anne Mawdsley Memorial Lecture at the House of Commons this week, to recognise the achievements of constituent Anne Mawdsley MBE, who campaigned tirelessly for the little known Scleroderma and Raynaud’s health conditions.
Anne, who was well known in Alsager and founded the Raynaud’s and Scleroderma Association (RSA) in Alsager in 1982 and raised millions of pounds to support its work, including through some remarkable personal feats such as swimming with sharks, was a passionate advocate for increased awareness and understanding of these conditions. Anne believed that sharing first-hand experience of living with these conditions was a vital part of health care education. She was a frequent speaker at conferences in the UK and abroad.
Professor Christopher Denton, Professor of Experimental Rheumatology at the University College London, gave the inaugural lecture, highlighting the major challenges patients face with Scleroderma and Raynaud’s and commending the lifelong efforts of Anne.
Professor Denton noted:
“Anne’s commitment knew no bounds, selflessly giving her time and sharing her knowledge of the conditions with others, so that everyone, both patients and professionals, could benefit from her experience.”
Speaking after the event, Fiona said:
“Anne contacted me shortly after I became MP for Congleton in 2010, keen to build a relationship and see how we might ensure the needs of people with Raynaud’s and Scleroderma were best met. I learnt a lot from Anne about these conditions and know how debilitating they can be, especially when not treated promptly. Anne was an inspirational person who won the admiration of everyone who knew her so it was my pleasure to host this event in Parliament – a fitting tribute for some-one who worked so tirelessly to increase awareness and understanding of both Raynaud’s and Scleroderma - conditions that Anne lived with for over thirty years. While there is still a long journey ahead, through the hard work of people such as Anne, progress in addressing the challenges of these hard diseases is being made.”