CANCER SUPPORT IN & AROUND 

KATIE McGLYNN

ROB MALLARD

Celebrity Patrons

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Actors Katie McGlynn and Rob Mallard joined us as celebrity patrons of Mummy’s Star in late January 2019.

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We’ve worked closely with the actors who play Sinead and Daniel in Coronation Street, the nation’s favourite and longest-running soap production. During 2018/19 we consulted with them, alongside the production and research team at Coronation Street, on the development of the emotive cancer and pregnancy storyline that has captured the hearts of their viewers.

 

Both actors have been amazing in portraying the very difficult and sensitive scenarios that our mums can face. They have both skilfully and beautifully delivered the emotion and factual scenes depicting the cancer and pregnancy storyline.

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So, we’re absolutely delighted that we can work with them both in raising vital awareness and to reach more of the mums and families who need our support.

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DR JACQUE GERRARD 

MBE DUniv MSc RM RGN

Patron

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Jacque Gerrard is a midwife who formerly worked as the Royal College of Midwives Director for England from 2008-2018.

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Jacque remains on the NMC register as a midwife and is now a speaker at maternity conferences, works part-time with Public Health England as a Physical Activity Champion and has a YMCA gym instructor qualification. She is currently on the Active Pregnancy Foundation Scientific Advisory Board aiming for a culture change towards active pregnancy. She is also on the editorial board of the British Journal of Midwifery.

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Jacque qualified as a nurse in Glasgow in the early eighties then as a Midwife in Bradford in Yorkshire. Jacque graduated with her MSc in nursing studies at the University of Bradford and subsequently took some time out to care for her twin sons.

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She has been a Head of Midwifery in three large Yorkshire NHS Trusts heading up maternity as well as women and children’s services including gynaecology cancer services.

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In August 2008 Jacque left the NHS to broaden her horizons and contribute to the wider agenda of promoting, supporting, and influencing the midwifery professional agenda at the Royal College of Midwives until 2018.

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Jacque was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of the University (DUniv) by the University of Bradford in recognition of her national midwifery work in 2014 and she went on to receive an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2019 for services to women and midwifery.

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Mummy`s Star is a charity close to Jacque`s heart and she comments that:

'The NHS is not always quite geared up to supporting women with cancer through pregnancy and following birth in my experience. This wonderful charity is very much needed to help bridge that gap. By giving advice and support to women and their families affected by cancer in pregnancy, it gives women the hope they need, as they realise that they are not alone. It is fantastic that help from Mummy`s Star is available in a very personalised way at a very precious and important time in their lives. I am  privileged to be involved with this unique charity and it is an honour to be one of their patrons.'

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KATHRYN NATTRESS
Chairperson

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Kathryn is a nurse who has worked almost entirely in oncology, predominantly with women with gynaecological cancer, and palliative care in both Scotland and Australia for more years than she cares to remember.  She has had the privilege of being involved in postgraduate education, policy development and qualitative research, providing representation on a variety of national and international groups, thus being able to influence care at a wider level.

 

Her current role is Director of Clinical Services in a large hospice and she is also writing up her PhD which focuses on fertility after cancer. She attended the first Mummy’s Star Conference in Salford and has followed keenly in the growth of the charity. She is very excited to be the Chair of Mummy's Star as the charity looks forward to its tenth year and beyond.

 

As a working mum Kathryn juggles looking after our two school age boys, Max and Charlie. When time allows, they escape as a family to Argyll and Bute to enjoy the peace, calm and spectacular scenery! When at home she can generally be found in the kitchen, cooking up a storm and entertaining friends and family. 

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BARBARA ANNE NELSON 
CIPD, MSc
Vice-Chairperson

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Barbara Anne has worked in the public Health and Social Care sector for over 40 years. She retired in December 2019 from her post as HR Director within NHS Scotland returning in 2020 to support Pandemic planning.

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She believes in healthcare being based around individual needs with ease of access to support for both people and their families. She has personal experience of using services when her family cared for her father following a terminal diagnosis.

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Having been introduced to Mummy’s Star as a fundraiser, taking on the Glasgow 10k, she is excited to be joining us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and look ahead to the future.

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She enjoys following her local football team, reading and spending time with family.   

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GILLIAN SMITH 

MBE, DUniv, MSc, BA, RGN, RM, ADM

Trustee

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Gillian joined the Mummy’s Star board in April 2018 as Chair. She stepped down from the post in 2022 and continues as a Trustee.

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Prior to this, she had been the Head of Scotland for the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) until her retirement in 2016. With over 35 years of experience in midwifery and nursing, Gillian was awarded an MBE in 2014 for services to midwifery and partnership in Scotland and was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University from the University of the West of Scotland in the same year.

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Gillian is passionate about midwifery and developing midwives to show their full potential. She has been jointly leading the RCM campaign to improve workplace behaviours and presented with her colleague at the European Midwives Association 2016. She had a poster presentation at the International Congress of Midwives in Toronto in 2017 and continues to present on this topic at conferences.

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Gillian is Chair of Birthsparks annual MaMa conference held in Scotland. She was heavily involved with the recent Maternity and Neonatal Review in Scotland before she retired and looks forward to seeing its implementation progress. She was delighted to become a patron of the Simpson’s Memory Box Appeal (SiMBA) in 2016.

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TOM GROOM

CA

Trustee & Treasurer

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Tom joined the board in December 2018 as Treasurer. Tom is 36, is married and has three children (Annabelle, Rupert and Grace). In 2014 his wife Philippa was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma while pregnant with Grace.

 

Her treatment was successful and despite Grace being delivered early and spending time in special care, she is now thriving. Philippa connected with Mummy’s Star at the time and this is how Tom's connection began.

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After studying Economics and Econometrics at Nottingham University Tom joined Ernst and Young and became a partner in 2014. 

 

Tom brings many skills to the board including governance and financial skills, financial control, financial reporting as well as presentation, business planning, and funding.

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JACKIE SHELDON 

LLB (Hons) PGDip (Law) FHEA PGCPE

Trustee & Secretary

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Jackie is a qualified solicitor and practised company law for many years both in London and the North West before qualifying to teach company law up to masters level. She runs her own company providing business and company law teaching for apprentices, undergraduates and postgraduates nationwide as well as writing and delivering company law blogs, articles and bespoke live and e-learning courses for clients.

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Jackie is thrilled to be given the opportunity to be a Trustee for Mummy’s Star and hopes her legal skills and experience can be of assistance both to the Trustees and the amazing work that Mummy’s Star is doing.

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Jackie lives in Glossop, is married to Rob and together they have two amazing boys. In Jackie’s spare time she keeps fit running around after her boys, attempting to run around local hills and is working towards a black belt in kickboxing.

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SALIMA JONES

Trustee

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Salima has worked in public services for 20 years ranging from the Welsh Assembly Health Department to managing an inner-city, community-based Healthy Living Network.

 

She loves to help services & organisations work better together, making it easier for the customer to access high-quality, people-friendly services.

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Salima has personal experience of parental bereavement after her dad died by suicide when she was 15 years old.

 

Salima has also been through a difficult journey to become a mother, including suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a serious condition during all of her pregnancies.

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Salima is married to Iain and they are blessed with their two boys Elliot and Casper.