Women’s health at the forefront as Health and Care Research Wales holds ninth annual conference

Women’s health took centre stage today (Thursday October 10th) at the ninth annual Health and Care Research Wales conference, with speakers and topics highlighting the vital part individuals and delivery teams have played in Wales’ research successes over the past year. The very best of these successes are documented in Health and Care Research Wales’ annual report for 2023-24.

Hosted by BBC Wales Health correspondent Owain Clarke, the conference, themed Research Matters, featured a plenary speech by the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton; leading Welsh researcher, Dr David Price, an NHS consultant specialising in endocrinology who worked as a medical consultant on the BBC drama Men Up; TED-style talks and parallel sessions, a dedicated Women’s Health panel, exhibitions and awards.

The new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles MS, thanked everyone who continues to lead and support research activity in Wales, and to all those who have dedicated their time to help shape and participate in research.

He said: “Through Health and Care Research Wales, the Welsh Government promotes and supports health and care research to ensure it is of the highest international scientific quality, is relevant to the needs and challenges of health and social care in Wales, and improves the lives of people and communities.

“The use of the research evidence base in health and social care is as crucial as ever. As the newly-appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, research and development will continue to play an important role in improving outcomes. I look forward to working with the Welsh research community to seize opportunities and build on what we have learned to date.”

One example of how research has impacted positively on patient outcomes is through 32-year-old Sophie Pierce, from Pembrokeshire, who is aiming to make history by becoming the first person ever with cystic fibrosis (CF) to row across the Atlantic Ocean in January 2025. Sophie will speak about how research, and her involvement in a clinical trial, transformed her life after she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was just three months old.

By her early twenties, Sophie was in and out of the hospital regularly, receiving intravenous antibiotics up to five times a year as her lung function declined. However, despite these challenges, Sophie refused to let her condition define her, and she embarked on a clinical trial for a breakthrough drug, Kaftrio, which ultimately saw her regaining some of her lung function and experience a significant improvement in her quality of life.

Sophie said: “It's not just about me. It's about what we can learn from this, for the CF community and beyond.

“If it's possible for someone with CF to row an ocean, you can literally go on and do whatever you want in your life.”

For more information on Sophie and her team’s challenge, please visit their page called Cruising Free.