Written by Louise Sellar

July 5th, 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the NHS.

Leading up to the 75th anniversary of the NHS, National Voices had been engaging with the NHS Assembly to develop insights on what was working for people using the NHS and what could be improved.

Written by The Sleep Charity

Many of our community struggle with sleep issues caused by their illness, symptoms or medication. For those that live with chronic illness a good night sleep is critical so establishing good habits and routines would be very beneficial I am sure. 

Sleep is an essential part of our health - it decreases the risk of heart attacks, diabetes, strokes and it helps us fight off minor ailments, deal better with stress, anxiety and depression and even tackle weight problems.
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However, chronic illnesses and sleep can be negatively synergistic: illness stops sleep and sleep deprivation amplifies pain and illness. Often medications can affect sleep or quality of sleep. 

So, what can those suffering from chronic illnesses do to get a better night’s sleep.

​For many years, after a diagnosis of autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s disease), I struggled with the medication I was given. I had no idea that what lay ahead of me was seven years of fighting for an alternative.

Thyroid basic facts
Your thyroid gland is in the neck. It straddles the trachea, just below the larynx. Until I became ill, I had no idea what it was and how it regulates the chemistry of the whole body. If it goes wrong, you can be affected in many different ways.
It produces two hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The balance of both is controlled by another hormone, TSH, which is sent from the pituitary gland to the thyroid.

Written by Louise Sellar, Director, Thyroid Trust
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This was my mantra as I battled with distressing symptoms during a global pandemic lockdown. I first started suffering symptoms during the first lockdown of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

The first symptom I noticed was that my heart was racing at rest and I started to feel very anxious. I then started to have hot flushes and night sweats and difficulty sleeping.  I contacted my GP surgery , who were only offering telephone consultations at this stage of the pandemic. Due to early menopause running in my family and as I was just about to turn 40, they suspected that might be the cause and gave me lots of helpful tips and advice. However, things just kept getting worse and one morning I contacted 111 as I had woken early with an extremely fast heart rate, I was advised to go to A and E where upon having bloods taken, to check that I hadn't had a heart attack, the doctor advised me that I was suffering with anxiety due to the stress of being in lockdown.

All of us here at The Thyroid Trust were shocked and saddened to receive the dreadful news that our dear friend and Trustee, Theresa Baker, had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the beginning of March at her home in London. 

​Theresa will be known to many of you from her involvement as a volunteer and Trustee for the charity. For many years Theresa had been a regular helper at the Patient Support Events we hold in central London and would usually be found either on the registration desk, welcoming people to our meetings as they arrived, or behind the counter handing out teas and coffees - always greeting everyone with her lovely warm smile. Theresa also hosted several informal ‘thyroid friends’ get-togethers at the Wellcome Trust on Euston Road. Theresa was such a pleasure to be around and to have on the team - she was kind, considerate, humble, you could rely on her 100% - but she was also friendly and fun. 

Written by Karen George, Trustee, Thyroid Trust

In January I attended the second meeting of NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)'s new Voluntary & Community Sector Forum on behalf of the Thyroid Trust. I was eager to hear what progress had been made since the first meeting in October of last year. 

Once again the session was lead by NICE’s CEO, Sam Roberts, supported by several NICE staff including Victoria Thomas, head of the Public Involvement team. This time there seemed to be even more charities and patient organisations on the call - showing just how important this type of engagement is.

 Written by Karen George, Trustee, Thyroid Trust

In September the Thyroid Trust were approached by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) with an invitation to attend a new Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Forum being established by NICE. The inaugural meeting took place on 19th October and I attended on behalf of the Thyroid Trust.

The forum was led by NICE’s CEO, Sam Roberts, supported by Jenna Dilkes, Associate Director within the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation, and Victoria Thomas, head of the public involvement team. Over 70 charities and patient organisations were in attendance, from a diverse range of organisations across the voluntary and community sector. The meeting explored:

​Hello, my name is A.R.Salandy and if you’re reading this then you’re interested in our Thyroid Poetry Cafes. During our inaugural café we had the pleasure of discussing our Thyroid illnesses and their impact on our daily lives and social interactions that spawn poetry and other creative endeavours. 

During our sessions we have heard from two intimate groups of individuals with a variety of thyroid illnesses including; Hashimoto’s, Hypothyroidism and Graves Disease. We also heard about the creative process that has facilitated the attendees writing journeys. Through our struggles as a group, we were able to not only break ground with our writing but also expand on our creativity through developing our experiences, sentiments and reflections on living, learning and creating with a Thyroid Illness.