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2004 October 4 - World Experts To Speak At Birmingham Children's Charity Conference

NEWS RELEASE 

4 October 2004

WORLD EXPERTS TO SPEAK AT BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S CHARITY CONFERENCE

Birmingham-based national charity the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) has three world experts speaking at its annual conference on Saturday 9 October.

The event, being held at the De Vere Belfry in Wishaw, will see families from all over the country gather to learn of new developments in the treatment and care of children with liver disease.

Professor Deirdre Kelly, medical director at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and founder of the hospital’s liver unit in 1989, will discuss the incidence of biliary atresia, how care for children with the disease has improved and medical and surgical strategies for future research. 

Professor Giorgina Mieli-Vergani, professor of paediatric hepatology at King’s College Hospital, London, will speak on the clinical aspects of auto-immune liver disease, the incidence of which is increasing annually, and which causes the immune system to attack the liver.

Professor Diego Vergani, professor of immunology at King’s College Hospital, London, focus on the causes of auto-immune liver disease and how it might be stopped in the future.

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of CLDF, said: “Not many people realise that in the UK two children are diagnosed with a liver disease every day, or that there are more than 100 different liver diseases that can affect children and young people. Many of these diseases are life threatening and much is still unknown about the causes of many of them. CLDF works closely with leading experts such as our speakers to progress our knowledge and fund leading edge research.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such eminent speakers attending the conference this year. Their presentations will give families a unique opportunity to learn the latest developments in these important paediatric liver diseases first hand.”

The annual conference also includes a presentation by Dr Anne Johnson, Clinical Psychologist at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on how youngsters can tackle the challenge of taking their liver disease into adulthood.

Ends

Further information from Jill Priest on 01886 822077

Note to editors:

The Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is a unique national charity that fights childhood liver diseases through funding pioneering research and educating healthcare professionals and the general public. It provides professional, emotional support to families affected and is the only organisation of its kind in the UK.

Issued on behalf of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation