MND-SMART and the Alan Davidson Foundation celebrated a landmark collaboration last month with the official launch of the ‘Davidson Nurses’ programme. The initiative, backed by a generous £1,275,000 grant from the Foundation, establishes five regional recruitment hubs dedicated to expanding recruitment to wider catchment areas and ensuring equity of access to MND clinical trials across the UK.
The launch event, held on 21st February at Edinburgh's historic Old Royal Infirmary - now the Edinburgh Futures Institute - honoured the specialised research nurses who will staff these hubs in Edinburgh, Scotland; London (Barts Health NHS Trust) and Birmingham, England; Craigavon, Northern Ireland; and Cardiff, Wales. During the ceremony nurses received a certificate of recognition and an award to commend each site’s impact.
These dedicated and highly skilled colleagues ensure much needed equity of access to MND SMART across the UK, supporting smooth delivery of research and providing long term support to participants.
Professor Suvankar Pal, MND-SMART Co Lead Investigator
Expanding Access to Research
The Davidson Nurses programme addresses a critical gap in MND research by creating regional centres that reduce geographic barriers to participation. Ethan Stoker, lead nurse at the Edinburgh hub, reported they have already randomised 163 participants and previously managed 50 participants simultaneously.
Our site recruits from five different health boards in Scotland, covering a substantial geographic area and reaching the 20% of Scotland's population living in rural regions
Ethan Stoker, Lead Research Nurse - Edinburgh Trial Centre
Similar impact was reported by Dympna McAleer, Davidson Nurse in Cardiff, who highlighted the coordination between nine local care centres treating MND patients across South Wales. Since December 2021, Cardiff has randomised 65 participants with assistance from five patient identification centres.
The Craigavon hub holds particular significance as the only site in Northern Ireland offering a clinical trial for MND patients. Dr Raeburn Forbes, Principal Investigator, and Sally Cunningham, one of the site's Davidson Nurses, emphasised their commitment to providing Northern Ireland patients with direct access to cutting-edge research.
Meanwhile, the Barts Health NHS Trust in Northeast London serves one of the UK's most diverse populations, with 53% of local residents coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. Angelie Villegas, the site's Davidson Nurse, highlighted their focus on accessible care through the trust's ‘We Belong’ strategy.
A meaningful legacy
The programme honours Alan Davidson, an alumnus of the University of Edinburgh and an acclaimed architectural visualiser who established his foundation in 2015, three years after being diagnosed with MND. Jane Craik, Davidson's sister and Foundation Trustee, shared her brother's story during the event.
Alan was a man of remarkable talent and vision, a lover of adventure, and committed to making a difference
Jane Craik, Alan's Sister and Foundation Trustee
Following Alan's passing, the Foundation has continued his mission to support neurological research under the direction of his friends Marie Chamillard, Colin Reid, Caite Healy, Andrew Broome, and sister Jane. The Davidson Nurses initiative was partly inspired by Alan's mother, who was a nurse.
At the event, Jacqui Casey, a patient representative for MND-SMART, shared her inspiring personal experience as a trial participant recruited through the Birmingham site. Though unable to attend in person, the Birmingham Davidson Nurses - Peter Evanson, Sarah Harris, and Bushra Khanum - sent a video message expressing gratitude to the Foundation.
The following nurses were recognised for their dedication and hard work:
- Edinburgh, Scotland: Ethan Stoker
- Cardiff, Wales: Dympna McAleer
- Craigavon, Northern Ireland: Sally Cunningham and Fiona Thompson
- Birmingham, England: Peter Evanson, Sarah Harris and Bushra Khanum
- London (Barts Health NHS Trust), England: Angelie Villegas
For MND-SMART, this partnership represents a significant step toward ensuring equitable access to clinical trials for all MND patients, regardless of their location or resources.
MND-SMART is led by the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research at the University of Edinburgh. The trial is a flagship project of the UK Dementia Research Institute.