Trustees

Nancy Prest - Chair of Trustees

Nancy is a HR Professional and Founder of Doodle HR. Nancy says: 'Born as a surprise (mum and dad were just wanting one child but got a BOGOF offer with identical twins!) I have lived and grown up in Harrogate and never strayed (no pun) very far from home. I met my wonderful husband when I was 21 (some 20 plus years ago) and we were blessed with a beautiful son in 2011.

My thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2004 gave my husband and I a new outlook on life and once our son was born I decided to follow a dream and set up my own HR company in 2013. Doodle HR is a strange name for an HR company but I named it after the breed of a dog we owned. A beautiful labradoodle called Hunny.'

Vivek Angra

Vivek is an experienced professional working in the UK travel industry. He specialises in business strategy, sales & marketing, operations, and products in this sector. He was also the Director at the Indian Ministry of Tourism in London and was responsible for launching the ‘Incredible India’ campaign in the UK & Ireland.

After many years of suffering, Vivek was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2016. He now wants to support those with thyroid related disorders and help raise funds for the cause.

Vivek is a keen cyclist and aspires to cycle the length of Britain from tip to toe in the near future.    

Jon Eaton

Jon has a marketing, brand and digital background. Over the years he has helped lots of organisations to adopt new brands and customer/supporter engagement strategies. He has also delivered successful technology systems including websites and customer databases. His work in the healthcare sector includes projects with the NIHR and Priory Hospitals Group. He is currently Director of Communications and Digital Engagement at Epilepsy Action. 

Jon says: 'I’m really excited to be joining BTF as a trustee. I help organisations to grow and change using marketing strategy and digital technology. Most recently I’ve been helping Epilepsy Action to better understand our supporters through an organisation-wide website and supporter database project.'

Greta Lyons

Greta is a qualified Adult and Paediatric Nurse and Health Visitor. She works as an Endocrine Research Nurse at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge in a small multi-disciplinary team which aims to improve standards of care to patients (adults and children).

The team studies a diverse range of thyroid conditions, including Congenital Hypothyroidism and Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Alpha (RTHα) and Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Beta (RTHβ).

Greta is a previous winner of the BTF's Evelyn Ashley Smith Award which supports endocrine nurses to develop their knowledge to influence and strengthen the nursing and clinical care for thyroid patients.

Professor Marian Ludgate

Marian is a retired research scientist (Professor Emerita in Molecular Endocrinology). Her career has been dedicated to the investigation of all aspects of the thyroid gland and to a range of thyroid disorders and accompanying conditions, such as thyroid eye disease. 

Over this time, Marian has worked in research centres in Cardiff and Brussels. She has also been involved in projects funded by our BTF Research Award and continues to be involved in thyroid research.

Marian says: As a research scientist I have been involved with patient support groups. I am keen to maintain and extend this relationship and hope to 'put a bit back' after benefitting from it throughout my career. In addition, several close family members have been diagnosed with thyroid problems, including cancer, hence I have some understanding of the anguish that can accompany these disorders. 

Kasia Jones

After graduating with a BSc, Kasia qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant.  She has worked at a variety of commercial enterprises and most recently at a small charity supporting engineers. Kasia said:

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in my early 30s, following changes in my energy levels and weight. I was fortunate to be diagnosed in the early stages of the condition which meant my symptoms were managed from the onset. I came across BTF around the same time when looking for answers. I am grateful for their support and ongoing initiatives, especially when I fell pregnant with my son. 

I hope that I can bring my patient and professional charity experience together and assist the BTF in achieving its vision.

Mr Radu Mahai

Radu is the President of the British Association of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgeons. He is a very experienced thyroid surgeon, with a particular interest in the treatment of large retrosternal goitre with critical airway compression and lymph node surgery in patients with advanced thyroid cancer (papillary and medullary thyroid cancer). He also introduced the use of recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring during thyroid operations and was part of an international committee which set up the guidelines for its use.

Dr Catherine Peters 

Catherine Peters is a consultant in paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) and University College London hospitals and has an interest in paediatric thyroid disorders. She has established a clinical and research programme for congenital hypothyroidism at GOSH and has published in this area.

Catherine is also a member of the congenital hypothyroidism advisory panel for UK newborn screening.

Professor Simon Pearce

Anna Reavell 

Anna is a veterinary surgeon working in a small animal practice. Prior to studying veterinary medicine at Wolfson College Cambridge, she read psychology at Loughborough University. She also has a post-graduate diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling from Southampton University.

Anna was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after the birth of her second child who was diagnosed with Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism) aged nine years. This has led Anna to be interested in childhood Graves’, including the psychological issues. She also wants to promote knowledge of thyroid disease especially related to pregnancy.

Nicola Zammitt 

Nicola is a consultant endocrinologist at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary and was Clinical Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Endocrinology and Diabetes from 2016 until 2022. She has a particular interest in Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) and set up the regional joint TED clinic with ophthalmology colleagues there. Nicola also sits on the Executive Committee of the British Thyroid Association (BTA).

Over the years, Nicola has been involved in the BTF’s work as a medical advisor and speaker at events. She was also a contributor to the BTF TED leaflet.

Nicola said: Our unit regularly uses the BTF information leaflets and we signpost patients to the website. Being a trustee provides the opportunity to become more formally involved with the BTF’s excellent work.  I believe my previous experience of working within a charity, and current role as a  trustee of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary Diabetic Treatment Trust (ERIDTT), means I have the skills and commitment to support the BTF’s work.