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About Us Devon & Cornwall Lupus Group is one of the Regional Support Groups of LUPUS UK. To support members, we arrange meetings and talks of relevance and interest and also participate in a range of fundraising events. We produce a quarterly magazine which you can learn more about here. For information about ways you can support the Group, contact us. |
Committee Members
Chair- David Hopkins
In addition to being Chair of DCLG, David is Secretary and Trustee of LUPUS UK. He helped develop the new version of the constitution, adopted in 2017. In 2015 he wrote an article on the history of LUPUS UK for the Silver Jubilee special issue of 'News & Views.' Born in Wales, David currently lives in Torquay. He worked as a teacher of Drama and English in southern England, moving to Cornwall in 1985 following a serious back operation. David has considerable experience working with charities, on committees and public speaking. He does not have lupus but supports wife Mayne. David is particularly keen to encourage local consultants to apply for funding for a specialist lupus nurse in our region.
In addition to being Chair of DCLG, David is Secretary and Trustee of LUPUS UK. He helped develop the new version of the constitution, adopted in 2017. In 2015 he wrote an article on the history of LUPUS UK for the Silver Jubilee special issue of 'News & Views.' Born in Wales, David currently lives in Torquay. He worked as a teacher of Drama and English in southern England, moving to Cornwall in 1985 following a serious back operation. David has considerable experience working with charities, on committees and public speaking. He does not have lupus but supports wife Mayne. David is particularly keen to encourage local consultants to apply for funding for a specialist lupus nurse in our region.
Vice Chair - Nikki Chivers
Nikki was diagnosed at 18, so has lived with lupus for many years. She was in remission for some years, which gave her the chance to pursue a career in hotel management. Despite the lupus having reared its ugly head again, and contrary to medical opinion at the time of diagnosis, Nikki become a mother, so has experienced pregnancy with active lupus in an area of the country that wasn't very experienced with a combination of the two. She joined LUPUS UK when her daughter (now a teenager) was just a baby, on discovering that there was a local group. Since then Nikki has been supporting and encouraging others living with lupus – as she says “After all, when you are up against lupus, the wolf, you are much better as a pack!”
Nikki was diagnosed at 18, so has lived with lupus for many years. She was in remission for some years, which gave her the chance to pursue a career in hotel management. Despite the lupus having reared its ugly head again, and contrary to medical opinion at the time of diagnosis, Nikki become a mother, so has experienced pregnancy with active lupus in an area of the country that wasn't very experienced with a combination of the two. She joined LUPUS UK when her daughter (now a teenager) was just a baby, on discovering that there was a local group. Since then Nikki has been supporting and encouraging others living with lupus – as she says “After all, when you are up against lupus, the wolf, you are much better as a pack!”
Treasurer - Martin Elliott
Martin is a Certified Public Accountant. He started his own practice in 1983 but in 2008 took semi-retirement to work from home. Between them, Martin and wife Sue have four children and seven grandchildren. Martin is a keen gardener and loves most sports, still playing cricket and badminton given the chance. He enjoys watching Exeter Chiefs and Somerset CC. Martin has worked with and for many charities and good causes, is active within the Freemasons and is Treasurer of three other committees. Martin was diagnosed with discoid lupus in 2004 and became Treasurer of DCLG in 2013.
Martin is a Certified Public Accountant. He started his own practice in 1983 but in 2008 took semi-retirement to work from home. Between them, Martin and wife Sue have four children and seven grandchildren. Martin is a keen gardener and loves most sports, still playing cricket and badminton given the chance. He enjoys watching Exeter Chiefs and Somerset CC. Martin has worked with and for many charities and good causes, is active within the Freemasons and is Treasurer of three other committees. Martin was diagnosed with discoid lupus in 2004 and became Treasurer of DCLG in 2013.
Secretary & Editor - Mayne Sundewall-Hopkins
Mayne has been a LUPUS UK Contact and Group Secretary since 2003 and DCLG magazine Editor since 2006. Mayne tutored the EPP Programme and a similar programme with Arthritis Care for several years. She ran her own complementary medicine clinic, specialising in TCM acupuncture, for more than 35 years, in Sweden and then in the UK from 1989. Mayne self-manages her condition, using acupuncture, diet, homoeopathy, other therapies and treatments plus supplements. She has been living with SLE since she was twelve but was not diagnosed until 38 years later. Mayne is on a mission to get members better connected with the Group generally and with each other particularly and at the same time raise awareness of lupus.
Mayne has been a LUPUS UK Contact and Group Secretary since 2003 and DCLG magazine Editor since 2006. Mayne tutored the EPP Programme and a similar programme with Arthritis Care for several years. She ran her own complementary medicine clinic, specialising in TCM acupuncture, for more than 35 years, in Sweden and then in the UK from 1989. Mayne self-manages her condition, using acupuncture, diet, homoeopathy, other therapies and treatments plus supplements. She has been living with SLE since she was twelve but was not diagnosed until 38 years later. Mayne is on a mission to get members better connected with the Group generally and with each other particularly and at the same time raise awareness of lupus.
Other Committee Members
Sara Blogg
Susan Gutowski
Olly Robinson
Lorraine Shrubb
Niki Solomon
Sara Blogg
Susan Gutowski
Olly Robinson
Lorraine Shrubb
Niki Solomon
Patrons
Dr Christopher Gardner-Thorpe MD FRCP FRCPE FACP
Christopher trained in medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital in London and then in neurology, holding the post of Consultant Neurologist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and working now as an independent Consultant Neurologist. He has lived in Devon for more than half his lifetime and has a wide interest in neurology, including the manifestations of lupus within the nervous system. He enjoys Dartmoor and spends much time there but also has commitments in teaching medical students in the Exeter University Medical School, mainly in the Humanities – medical history, medicine and the law, and medical writing. He also examines and directs the courses in medical history at the Society of Apothecaries, a livery company in London.
Christopher trained in medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital in London and then in neurology, holding the post of Consultant Neurologist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and working now as an independent Consultant Neurologist. He has lived in Devon for more than half his lifetime and has a wide interest in neurology, including the manifestations of lupus within the nervous system. He enjoys Dartmoor and spends much time there but also has commitments in teaching medical students in the Exeter University Medical School, mainly in the Humanities – medical history, medicine and the law, and medical writing. He also examines and directs the courses in medical history at the Society of Apothecaries, a livery company in London.
Alison Seabeck
Alison was Member of Parliament for Plymouth Moor View until 2015. She was a Shadow Defence and Housing Minister and Chair of the South West Regional Select Committee. During her time in Parliament she was a member of the All Party Group on Lupus and got to local events to support the work of the wonderfully active Devon & Cornwall Lupus Group. With the loss of the last Chairman, there is currently no APPG on Lupus. Since leaving Parliament Alison has continued her links to local charities and will use her experience to continue to press parliamentarians on issues of concern.
Alison was Member of Parliament for Plymouth Moor View until 2015. She was a Shadow Defence and Housing Minister and Chair of the South West Regional Select Committee. During her time in Parliament she was a member of the All Party Group on Lupus and got to local events to support the work of the wonderfully active Devon & Cornwall Lupus Group. With the loss of the last Chairman, there is currently no APPG on Lupus. Since leaving Parliament Alison has continued her links to local charities and will use her experience to continue to press parliamentarians on issues of concern.
Dr David Hutchinson MD FRCP
David has been a rheumatology consultant at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust for 15 years. He trained in rheumatology in Liverpool, where he was also a clinical lecturer. As clinical lecturer, David undertook his MD thesis on smoking as a trigger factor for rheumatoid arthritis. It is now established that cigarette smoking is the most important environmental risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. David continues to do research and has supervised a specialist registrar in undertaking his MD as part of a ground-breaking multi-centre research project that identified lung disease can trigger the development of rheumatoid arthritis. On-going research supervised by David has identified that occupations involving exposure to cadmium can trigger rheumatoid arthritis.
David has been a member of the Arthritis Research UK USER committee that involves clinicians and patients with rheumatic conditions allocating funding for research into autoimmune conditions such as lupus. He is also the National Institute for Health Research lead for musculoskeletal conditions in the SW Peninsula. Leisure activities include watching his boys do cross-country and football (he has four boys) and walking the Cornish coast path.
David has been a rheumatology consultant at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust for 15 years. He trained in rheumatology in Liverpool, where he was also a clinical lecturer. As clinical lecturer, David undertook his MD thesis on smoking as a trigger factor for rheumatoid arthritis. It is now established that cigarette smoking is the most important environmental risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. David continues to do research and has supervised a specialist registrar in undertaking his MD as part of a ground-breaking multi-centre research project that identified lung disease can trigger the development of rheumatoid arthritis. On-going research supervised by David has identified that occupations involving exposure to cadmium can trigger rheumatoid arthritis.
David has been a member of the Arthritis Research UK USER committee that involves clinicians and patients with rheumatic conditions allocating funding for research into autoimmune conditions such as lupus. He is also the National Institute for Health Research lead for musculoskeletal conditions in the SW Peninsula. Leisure activities include watching his boys do cross-country and football (he has four boys) and walking the Cornish coast path.