St Mark’s Hospital Foundation is proud to fund research which prioritises patient support and patient input throughout the lifecycle of a project.
The ground-breaking research at St Mark’s Hospital would not be possible without the participation of patients who take part in clinical trials, provide feedback on research proposals, provide regular updates about their health, and give permission for their health data and tissue samples to be used in research.
To truly make a difference for people living with complex, and rare, bowel diseases, we fund research that puts patient voices at the forefront of decision making about their health needs.
Improving Support for Patients with Ulcerative Colitis
Thanks to a generous donation from The Red Lion Group—a patient support group for individuals who have had, or are considering, J Pouch surgery—St Mark’s Hospital Foundation has been able to support the work of Inflammatory Bowel Disease research fellow, Dr Orestis Argyriou.
Dr Argyriou has taken on a number of research projects with the aim of improving counselling for patients considering surgery for ulcerative colitis, one of the main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The goal of Dr Argyriou’s research is not to push patients toward a particular treatment choice, but to make sure they feel informed, supported, and able to decide what is right for them—based on clear information, realistic expectations, and their priorities.
The research team has involved patients from an early stage, seeking their advice and feedback as the projects developed. Dr Argyriou is confident that the studies will produce findings that can be translated directly into everyday clinical practice and that will meaningfully improve the experience of individuals with ulcerative colitis who are considering a pouch.
Priority Setting Partnership for Anal & Vaginal Fistulae
St Mark’s Hospital Foundation was incredibly grateful to receive grants from two charitable trusts to support the work of St Mark’s fistula research fellow, Mr Theo Pelly.
In collaboration with the James Lind Alliance, Mr Pelly and his colleagues from the Fistula Research Unit at St Mark’s will develop the first ever Priority Setting Partnership focused on idiopathic anal and vaginal fistulae. Idiopathic fistulae are abnormal, often painful, tube-like connections that form between two areas of the body without a clear underlying cause.
This partnership will allow researchers to work directly with patients and clinicians to identify the top 10 research priorities for individuals living with idiopathic anal or vaginal fistulae. The work will bring patient voices to the forefront and ensure that future research is directed towards the areas where it is needed the most.