Specialty Lead receives Royal recognition for work supporting victims of conflict-related sexual violence

Health and Care Research Wales Specialty Lead for Surgery, Professor Iain Whitaker, recently welcomed HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh to Swansea University to meet the team behind SPARC, a pioneering international collaboration to help victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). 

SPARC (Swansea-Panzi Alliance for the Reconstruction and Care of victims of CRSV) was established after Professor Whitaker led a trip to Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this year. The hospital was set up by Nobel prize-winner Dr Denis Mukwege, who has dedicated his career to treating CRSV victims. 

Treating the most severe cases requires a complex combination of advanced plastic, reconstructive and gynaecological surgery. During his time in DRC Professor Whitaker performed operations observed by the Panzi surgical team, to share skills and expertise. 

Her Royal Highness raises awareness of the impact of conflict on women and had also previously visited Panzi Hospital. During a previous visit to Swansea’s Health & Care Research Wales Programme of Reconstructive Surgery & Regenerative Medicine (ReconRegen), in her role as patron of the Scar Free Foundation, she suggested a meeting between Professor Whitaker and Dr Mukwege.  

Dr Mukwege also travelled to Swansea to be reunited with Her Royal Highness, Professor Whitaker and his team. The visit included an overview of the trip to the DRC as well as SPARC’s next steps, including the development of groundbreaking 3D-printed surgical training prototypes. 

Professor Whitaker said,

It was an honour to welcome The Duchess to Swansea University again. The visit to the Panzi Hospital was one of the highlights of my career on both a personal and professional level. I was so moved by the incredible resilience and positivity of the women at the Panzi and the work Dr Mukwege has done over two decades and we are committed to working with our colleagues at the Panzi to improve care and drive forward developments to make life-changing differences to survivors.” 

Michael Bowdery, Head of Programmes at Health & Care Research Wales, said, “We are proud that Wales is playing its part in this international collaboration, which has received Royal recognition from Her Royal Highness. Professor Whitaker’s close collaboration with Dr Mukwege and the team at the Panzi Hospital will be highly instrumental in helping victims of sexual violence in conflict in the DRC and it’s really humbling to see how Welsh research is helping in this field.” 

The trip to the DRC was made possible thanks to funding from the Welsh Government’s Wales and Africa Grant Scheme and Taith Research Mobility Exchange Programme, with support from Health & Care Research Wales, The Scar Free Foundation,  the FCDO and the Office of The Duchess of Edinburgh.