Set up in 1991 by Janis Hickey, a thyroid sufferer,
with the help of a group of endocrinologists, the British
Thyroid Foundation became a registered charity in 1991.
It was run on a voluntary basis for the first 5 years. It has a Board of Trustees
and five patrons: Maria Aitken, Sir
Richard Bayliss KCVO, Jenny Pitman OBE, Claire
Rayner OBE, Gay
Search
Owing to the continued support of members the British
Thyroid Foundation now has offices, employs three staff:
Janis Hickey, Betty Nevens and Gayle Kingswood, and is helped by a team of volunteers,
some of whom run local groups.
Our volunteers and employees understand the needs of those with thyroid problems,
as most also have a disorder, or are related to someone with a thyroid disorder.
Aims
To provide support for those with thyroid disorders and for their families
To provide information to those with thyroid disorders and to the medical profession
To establish regional support groups
To raise funds for research.
Achievements
Fees and donations from members have allowed us to cover our postage, printing,
administrative and running costs, and in addition have provided:
£70,000 for research projects since 1996 including an
annual research project of £10,000 per annum
Travel bursaries, course fees, subsistence expenses for UK students engaged
in endocrine projects
Funds for the printing of thyroid cancer patient information leaflets produced
by the British Thyroid Association and the Royal College of Physicians
Training weekends for local coordinators and telephone contacts so they
can continue to support members at a local level
Thanks to members of BTF sharing their experiences with us we have been able
to:
Represent patients’ perspectives by participating in meetings with endocrinologists
and other groups whose interest lies in seeking health improvements
Assist with medical research by providing valuable data via questionnaires
distributed with our newsletters.
Gain recognition from the medical profession who are keen to liaise with
us as they acknowledge the important role the British Thyroid Foundation
plays in supporting those with thyroid disorders
Engage in dialogues with the medical profession so that they have an awareness
of how those of us with thyroid disorders feel about treatment and care.
We hope this gives you a brief insight into our work to help people with thyroid
disorders.
If you or someone you know has a thyroid disorder
and needs information and support, we aim to help you. A small fee is charged
for membership of the British Thyroid
Foundation which helps to cover our costs and to allow
our work to continue.