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| (27/07/10) Win a funky new Mini |
Take part in a fabulous raffle to win a brand new funky Mini and support TB Alert at the same time.
It’s so simple: All you have to do is click on this link
and click on the big purple circle at the bottom right of the page.
The great thing about this online raffle is that TB Alert receives £1.90 of the £2 ticket and the FSI do all the administration for us – so it’s a really quick and efficient way to raise money to help us save more lives.
id: 270710raffle |
| (20/07/10) Launch of the The Truth About TB e-newsletter |
The first issue of The Truth About TB quarterly e-newsletter - developed by TB Alert as the Department of Health’s key partner in raising awareness of TB - received a warm welcome from professionals across the public and third sectors, when it was released on Wednesday 14 July.
The newsletter extends the reach of The Truth About TB website, which provides information about TB for people at risk of the illness, to a wider audience of professionals in the NHS, third sector and statutory bodies who are interested in issues relating to TB and TB service provision. The newsletter features contributions from people at the front-line of TB service provision, and from TB patients themselves; including the story of Arthensia Brown who waited over a year to gain an accurate diagnosis when she was suffering from TB, during which time she was treated for allergies and even attempted to treat herself with cold remedies.
Readers are invited to add their comments, and share their own experiences and learning on our online discussion. To read more, add your comments or subscribe please visit The Truth About TB news section.
id: 200710TTATBNews |
| 30/06/10 Race Against TB - news from the seminar |
100 leaders from the NHS, local government and the third sector were recently brought together by TB Alert and Race for Health to produce a set of best practice recommendations to tackle the health inequalities that lie at the heart of the rising incidence of TB.
The ‘Race Against Tuberculosis’ seminar, held at the King’s Fund Centre in London on 30th June, heard that the failure to tackle TB is killing people, blighting the lives of many more, particularly in BME communities, and creating strains that threaten the effectiveness of drug therapy. The event highlighted the need to address TB within a social model of health, to drive forward improvements in access to TB services and outcomes for patients.
A series of lively workshops was held, covering good practice in community engagement, commissioning TB awareness, linking clinical and social approaches, and embedding an integrated approach with local government partners. Workshops were led with presentations from organisations already delivering innovative TB programmes across the public and third sectors, which inspired the shared insights and experiences that shaped the recommendations from the day.
A report of the seminar will be published during the summer. To receive a copy please email your contact details to thetruthabouttb@tbalert.org
The event was co-hosted by TB Alert and Race for Health, the NHS based programme that works with Trusts and PCTs to drive forward improvements in health for people from BME backgrounds.
id: 300610RATB |
| (19/05/10) The Lancet publishes a series on TB |
The Lancet Medical Journal today published a series on TB. If you are interested, you can register free to access the articles online.
id: enter an unique id here |
| (07/05/10) Brighton Marathon 2011 - run for TB Alert! |
Following the hugely successful first Brighton Marathon in April (which has already been ranked within the top 5 marathons in the world) the date has just been announced for next year.
It will take place on Sunday 10th April 2011 and TB Alert will be there in force! We have 20 charity places, and we're looking for as many runners AND supporters as possible to help raise awareness (and funds!) here in our home town.
If you would like to run - please try the general entries first - just enter online here. Entries opened on 10th May 2010, and they expect to be full in a matter of weeks! The more of our runners who get their own place, the bigger our team will be! The Brighton Marathon have suggested charities you can run for but you can opt to run for whoever you want (and we hope you run for us!). But if you do find entries have closed by the time you enter, then you can apply for one of our charity places by emailing briggy.smale@tbalert.org.
If running isnt your thing then we are also looking for volunteers to help behind the scenes - to see our runners off at the start, to cheer them along the way, and to congratulate them at the finish. All TB Alert runners, their family and other supporters, and volunteers are invited to our exclusive after-party at one of Brighton's premier venues, with live music, food, drink and massage for tired legs.
Whether you want to run the marathon, support from the sidelines or help out behind the scenes, please let us know by emailing briggy.smale@tbalert.org or fundraising@tbalert.org. Thanks!
id: 100507Brightonmarathon |
| (21/04/10) New edition of WHO TB treatment guidelines |
The World Health Organisation's Stop TB department has published the fourth edition of Treatment of Tuberculosis: Guidelines. The guidelines contain a number of new recommendations, including a call to discontinue regimens based on just two months of rifampicin (2HRZE/6HE). They reinforce prior WHO recommendations for drug susceptability testing (DST) at the start of therapy for all previously treated patients, and provide guidance for appropriate treatment approaches in light of advances in laboratory technology and the country's progress in building laboratory capacity.
They also reaffirm recommendations for supervised treatment, as well as the use of fixed-dose combinations of anti-TB drugs and patient kits as further measures for preventing the acquisition of drug resistance.
Read the full report. The Guidelines will be available in hard copy from 30th April. For more information, write to WHO
id: 210410whoguidelines |
| (06/04/10) World TB Day Parliamentary Questions report from the APPG |
On World TB Day MPs raised ten parliamentary questions about TB. Read their questions and the answers given here in a report provided by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Global TB.
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| (06/04/10) Radio 4 Appeal Update |
 Our thanks to all of the kind donors who responded to Jeremy Paxman's appeal on Radio 4 earlier this year. So far we have raised nearly £13,000 plus gift aid- a wonderful achievement for a small charity like ours!
While making the BBC programme "Who do you think you are?" Jeremy Paxman discovered his great grandparents died of TB within two years of each other, leaving his grandfather an orphan at 10 years old.
We were delighted that he agreed to present our appeal which was broadcast on Radio 4 on Sunday 28th February and Thursday 4th March, and can still be heard on Radio 4 Listen Again.
id: 060410jp |
| (24/03/10) Financial Times "Combating TB" Report |
TB Alert is delighted to have received a free advertisment in the Financial Times special World TB Day (24th March) "Combating TB" Report.
Thank you to everyone who made a donation after reading our advert.
If you didn't get to pick up a copy of the report click here to read the full report plus extra online-only articles.
Reporter Andrew Jack produced a video alongside the report, including an interview with our Chair of Trustees, Paul Sommerfeld and other experts .
Archbishop Tutu had TB as a child, and is a tireless activist in the fight against TB. We are delighted to have the Archbishop as our Patron, and honoured that in his guest column for the FT report he said he was proud to be Patron of TB Alert.
id: 24/03/10ft |
| (24/03/10) ARCHIVE's TB and Housing Community Engagement Project |
March 24th marks World TB Day. On the same day, the ARCHIVE Institute’s will launch its Happy Healthy Housing initiative concerning tuberculosis and housing in the London Borough of Brent. It is often assumed that TB has virtually died out in the UK; that it is a disease of the developing world. The reality is quite different: TB is in fact on the rise in the UK, and has been since the late 1980s (TB Alert). The year 2008 saw 8,655 TB cases reported in the UK, representing a 2.2% increase from 2007(HPA). The majority of cases occur in the non-UK-born (72%) and those aged 15-44 years (61%).
Find out more about the Brent Project here
Read ARCHIVE's World TB Day Press release here
ARCHIVE’s goal is the creation of ‘healthy homes’: living conditions, which reduce health risks and provide care for the world's most vulnerable communities. The ARCHIVE Inst works squarely at the intersection of housing and health, using one fundamental right (housing) to deliver another (health). Housing is perhaps the ultimate nexus between the built environment and health disparities: it has been the focus of much recent research and intervention activity looking at new approaches to old problems. ARCHIVE uses a community-driven and site-specific approach to housing, which targets the health challenges faced by individual households and provides them with the skills to sustain these changes in the future
id: archive |
| (23/03/10) DFID £8m fund for TB Vaccine Research |
Global efforts to combat tuberculosis gained momentum today when the government of the United Kingdom announced generous funding to the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. The first-ever grant of £ 8,000,000 (approximately US$ 13 million) is a significant show of support for Aeras in its mission to develop new TB vaccines.
"If the international community is serious about tackling HIV and TB we must find a way to break this devastating cycle," said Mike Foster, the UK Minister for International Development." That is why the UK is supporting the discovery of a new TB vaccine that is safe for babies born with HIV, and why we are scaling up efforts to reduce the impact of drug resistant strains of TB."
"The BCG vaccine is ancient technology, predating even television. It is very welcome that the UK government is recognizing the crucial importance of developing a new, effective, and reliable vaccine against TB; as well as the contributions already being made by British researchers in collaboration with Aeras. With a new vaccine, the dream of eliminating TB by 2050 may become achievable." said Paul Sommerfeld of TB Alert.
"Investment by the UK government in our TB vaccine development program is a tremendous boost for Aeras and our partners, especially during such a difficult economic environment," said R. Gordon Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Chairman of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. "We are grateful to DFID for this generous support."
Read the full press release here
id: e230310aeras |
| (23/03/10) HPA publishes new UK TB figures for 2009 - 5.5% increase |
Provisional figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the UK have increased by 5.5%, from 8,679 reported in 2008 to 9,153 in 2009.
Read the full press release from the HPA here
id: enter an unique id here |
| (29/01/10) Jeremy Paxman to present Radio 4 Appeal for TB Alert |
While making the BBC programme "Who do you think you are?" Jeremy Paxman discovered his great grandparents died of TB within two years of each other, leaving his grandfather an orphan at 10 years old.
We are delighted that he has agreed to present our appeal which will be broadcast on Radio 4 (92.4-94.6FM or 198 LW) on Sunday 28th February at 7.55am or, for the not so early risers, at 9.26pm. It is also repeated on Thursday 4th March at 3.27pm.
Click here to watch a 30 second video trailer for the appeal by Jeremy Paxman
The Radio Appeal has cost us nothing and we are really grateful to Jeremy Paxman for his support. Now all we need is lots of people to listen!! TB Alert doesn't have an advertising budget so our best chance is word of mouth (or post). We have produced a postcard which you can send to friends to tell them about the appeal. Call us on 01273 234784 NOW if you'd like some postcards to send to friends and family, or give out at a club or event.
id: 290110jp |
| (29/01/10) Florence to perform at Jazz dinner in aid of TB Alert |
The lovely doctors at St Mary's Hospital have arranged a unique evening of music with dinner in support of TB Alert and the Chest and Allergy Clinic.
This year’s event, which has now become a sell-out tradition, promises to be the most spectacular yet. We are excited to hear that Florence Welch (of ‘Florence and the Machine’) will be performing. She was recently awarded Best Album at the Brit awards for her number 1 debut album "Lungs". We are also delighted to have the Willie Garnett Band and the Imperial ‘Lung-Busters’ (featuring David Mitchell on saxophone, Andrew Wright on bass and Jonathon Hoare on drums) perform.
The event supports TB Alert, the Imperial TB Patient fund and the Imperial College Healthcare Charities Chest and Allergy fund. The cost of the evening (including 3 course meal per person) is £60.00.
There will also be an opportunity to obtain some fantastic auction items (including exclusive musical memorabilia) with Lesley Regan in the chair.
id: 220110wf |
| (22/01/10) Sad news at the death of Professor Wallace Fox |
We are sad to report the death of one of the great pioneers of the treatment of tuberculosis, Professor Wallace Fox, who died on Friday 22nd January 2010 after a long illness.
Professor Fox joined the British Medical Research Council in the 1950s, which was an exciting time in the history of tuberculosis as effective drugs were just becoming available. As founder and director of the Tuberculosis Chemotherapy Centre one of his early, and key, contributions was conducting a trial which showed that drug treatment at home was just as effective as treatment given in a sanatorium, even in the poor socio-economic circumstances of India. Subsequently, as director of MRC Tuberculosis and Chest Disease Unit in London, his main goal was to improve compliance with treatment. Previously treatment had to be given for two years but he trialled ways to either shorten the duration; give the drugs intermittently - or both. This led to the six-month drugs regimens that are now used worldwide and have had a major impact on tuberculosis control. Wallace Fox was the driving force behind the MRC research programmes establishing many collaborations worldwide and working closely with two other MRC units: The Laboratory Studies of Tuberculosis - led by Denny Mitchison and in Statistics - led by Professor Ian Sutherland.
Those who worked with him remember him as an enthusiast and as a perfectionist. He was one of the great scientists of tuberculosis, whose work had a major impact on the control of the disease and, indeed more broadly, on research to develop and evaluate new treatments. We shall miss him greatly.
Professor Janet Darbyshire, TB Alert
id: wallace |
| (07/01/10) TB rapper a sensation on Youtube |
Christian Van Vuuren has TB, and recently spent 3 weeks quarantined in an Australian hospital. He made a rap video from his hospital bed. Watch Christian on Youtube.
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| (05/01/10) Radio 4 Case Notes features TB |
Dr Mark Porter talks about the treatment of TB in Leeds. Go to the programme archive to listen again to this programme, and hear TBAG member Natalie talk about her experiences.
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| (05/01/10) Archbishop Tutu Anniversary Appeal for TB Alert |
If you have received the recent letter from the Archbishop appealing for donations for TB Alert to commemorate our 10th Anniversary, click here to go to our Donate page.
If you did not receive the Archbishop's letter click on the pages below for a scanned image of the letter.
 
You can also download our gift form and the flyer which illustrates just a few projects which TB Alert has been able to do with the support of our donors over our first decade.
Archbishop Tutu was our first patron and has supported TB Alert since 2006. As someone who has survived TB he knows how important it is to fight this killer disease.
id: 050110tutu |
| (23/12/09) The Truth About TB website now live |
Check out our new website for people affected by or concerned about TB. Read about TB, ask us a question, read other people's TB stories or leave your own, and watch our video online. Go to www.thetruthabouttb.org
id: enter an unique id here |
| (04/11/09) Sad news at the death of Sir John Crofton |
Our founder and Honorary President Sir John died peacefully at home yesterday at the age of 97.
Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Edinburgh Sir John Crofton was knighted in 1977 for his contributions to TB control.
On return from the battlefield hospitals of World War Two, Sir John was at the sharp end of Scotland’s post-war tuberculosis epidemic when he was put in charge of 400 TB hospital beds in Edinburgh.
It was this work that led him to a series of discoveries about the disease. Sir John led the team responsible for bringing TB under control in only 6 years – 1/3 of the time predicted. This was the first demonstration of mass control of TB, and crucially, Sir John and his research team made the breakthrough that a combination of three separate antibiotics was required to combat the killer condition. This multi-drug regimen (which became known as the “Edinburgh method”) is now used to fight TB worldwide, and has since saved millions of lives.
An indefatigable pioneer and international physician, Sir John has been a leader in the work of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international bodies, a celebrated author and an influential teacher.
The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) awarded Sir John the organisation’s highest award, The Union Medal, which recognises outstanding contributions to the control of tuberculosis and lung disease, on October 19th 2005.
Never one to slow down, almost to the very end of his life Sir John continued as an inspiring worker in the field of tuberculosis and tobacco control, and fundraising tirelessly on behalf of TB Alert.
To the staff and trustees of TB Alert he has been an inspiration throughout the 10 years of our charity's existence, greatly admired and respected.
He will be sadly missed.
Sir John's funeral will be held in Edinburgh on Tuesday 10th November. His family have requested no flowers, but donations if wished, to TB Alert.
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In his own words
"Confessional" - an amusing look back at his early career by Sir John - published in A 1992 Edition of Thorax
Tributes and obituaries:
Read a tribute to Sir John from the Stop TB Partnership
Article in the Herald
Article in news.scotsman.com
BBC News Scotland article
Obituary in the Independent by Tam Dalyell
Comment from The Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh
Early Day Motion in Parliament 4/11/09:
"That this House mourns the sad loss of tuberculosis (TB) pioneer Sir John Crofton who died on 3 November 2009, aged 97; recognises his outstanding contribution to the control of TB during his lifetime with his work in the field helping to cure over 10 million people of the disease worldwide; notes that Sir John was awarded the Union Medal, the highest honour awarded by the International Union against TB and Lung Diseases for his groundbreaking work; and sends condolences to the friends and family of Sir John who will no doubt be very proud of a remarkable man."
Motions in the Scottish Parliament 4/11/09:
S3M-5135 Dr Richard Simpson: Sir John Crofton—That the Parliament is united in sadness at the death of Sir John Crofton and considers that Scotland has lost one of its most inspirational health pioneers; further notes his many achievements, such as the development of a new and effective way of treating tuberculosis (TB) in the 1950s that reduced TB in Edinburgh to almost zero in six years; commends his contribution to raising awareness about the harm caused to public health by tobacco, arguing for policies to control smoking and tobacco and calling for smoke-free legislation long before it became law in Scotland, knowing the important contribution that it would make to future public health; recognises the pivotal role that Sir John and his wife, Dr Eileen Crofton, also played in founding ASH Scotland in 1973 and believes that the ban on smoking in public places implemented by the previous Scottish Executive is a fitting tribute to his lifetime work, and welcomes the launch, earlier this year, of the Crofton Award by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland in partnership with ASH Scotland to recognise the achievements of young people in reducing tobacco and smoking-related harm in Scotland and in honour of Sir John and Lady Eileen Crofton’s tireless work over the decades on tobacco control.
S3M-5130 Shirley-Anne Somerville: Sir John Crofton—That the Parliament notes with sadness the passing of health pioneer Sir John Crofton, who died on Tuesday 3 November 2009 in Edinburgh, aged 97; highlights Sir John’s inspirational health career that included his development of a new and effective way of treating tuberculosis (TB) in the 1950s and the reduction of TB in Edinburgh to almost zero in six years with his groundbreaking and revolutionary Edinburgh method of treatment with a combination of drugs; further notes that his work led to the mass BCG vaccination that reduced TB in Britain from 50,000 recorded cases in the 1950s to just 5,500 in 1987; acknowledges that Sir John spent much of his life fighting to raise awareness about the harm caused to public health by tobacco and called for smoke-free legislation long before it became law in Scotland, and notes that Sir John and his wife, Dr Eileen Crofton, played a pivotal role in founding the tobacco control charity, ASH Scotland, in 1973 and that a Crofton Award was recently launched by ASH Scotland and the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, recognising the achievements of young people in reducing tobacco and smoking-related harm in Scotland.
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