WORLDSymposium 2017 Patient Advocate Leader (PAL) Award

WORLDSymposium recognized Christine Lavery, MBE, Group Chief Executive for the UK Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases, with the 2017 Patient Advocate Leader (PAL) Award.

Christine Lavery founded the United Kingdom (UK) Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases (MPS Society) in 1982 following the death of her firstborn son, Simon, from Hunter disease. She started her career in the voluntary sector with ‘Contact a Family’ and for ten years she helped parents establish over 200 rare disease patient organisations. In 1993, she was appointed Chief Executive of the MPS Society, where she pioneered the Patient Advocacy Service. The Patient Advocacy Service is recognised as a gold standard as well a leading organisation that has awarded over £5 million in grants for academic and clinical research.

Christine established the 30 year old MPS International Network as well as serving on four medical advisory panels including the National Health Service England Lysosomal Storage Disorders Advisory Board.

In 2002, Christine was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to metabolic diseases by Her Majesty (HM) Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year’s Honours List. In 2006 she received ‘A Life Time Award’ from the International MPS Community at the 2006 International Symposium on Mucopolysaccharide and Related Diseases.

In 2013 Christine launched MPS Commercial, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MPS Society, to enhance logistical support to patients with rare diseases and their families participating in commercial and academic clinical trials and health technology assessments.

WORLDSymposium honored Christine with the 2017 Patient Advocate Leader Award on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the WORLDSymposium Banquet and Award Ceremony.

Click here for more information about the Patient Advocate Leader award.