BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//TOFS | OA/TOF Support - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:TOFS | OA/TOF Support X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://tofs.org.uk X-WR-CALDESC:Events for TOFS | OA/TOF Support REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20240331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20241027T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20250330T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20251026T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20260329T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20261025T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250301T121500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250301T163000 DTSTAMP:20260418T190609 CREATED:20241116T120046Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T164055Z UID:10000090-1740831300-1740846600@tofs.org.uk SUMMARY:TOFS Seminar 2025 DESCRIPTION:Quick links: \nBook your ticket \nFull schedule \nSpeaker biographies \nJoin us in Bristol to hear from some leading experts and specialists from a variety of healthcare professions\, who work with OA/TOF patients. It is also a great chance to chat with other members; meet the TOFS volunteers and staff team and meet other charities/associations representing other medical anomalies. All adults and children (over age 13 years) born with OA/TOF\, parents\, relatives\, and healthcare professional’s welcome! \nAs this is an afternoon event\, there will be tea and coffee for refreshments during the breaks\, no food will be provided. The conference sessions are not appropriate for young children under the age of 13\, and there will not be a creche. However\, we understand some members will need to bring their young children\, so we ask that you plan to have someone else attend with you\, who is able to look after them whilst you are in the sessions.  \nRegistration on the day opens at 12:15 and the presentations will begin at 12:45. \nWe look forward to seeing you there! \n \n CLICK HERE TO BOOK\n \nSchedule\n  \n\n\n\n\n12.15  \n  \n\n\nArrival & registration  \n\n\n\n\n12:45   \n  \n\n\nWelcome  \n\n\n\n\n12:50   \n  \n\n\nTOFSDiane Stephens\, TOFS CEO  \n  \n\n\n\n\n13:00   \n  \n\n\nThe Lost Twin HypothesisDr Charles Shaw-Smith\, Consultant in Clinical Genetics\, Royal Devon University Hospital.  \n\n\n\n\n13:25   \n  \n\n\nOA/TOF: from birth to 5 years & Surgical-PEARL project updateMiss Clare Skerritt\, Paediatric Consultant Surgeon\, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children & Emma Griffiths\, Doctor & PhD student\, University of Bristol. \n\n\n\n\n13:55   \n  \n\n\nRefreshments & chat  \n\n\n\n\n15:00  \n  \n\n\nAdvancement in the instrumental assessment of swallowing in paediatrics Helen Marks\, Lead Speech & Language Therapist\, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.  \n\n\n\n\n15:30  \n\n\nPersonal experience of OA/TOF transition & Southwest NHS approach Carole Melia\, OA/TOF parent & Transition Lead\,  Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. \n\n\n\n\n15:55  \n  \n\n\nDiscussion session Facilitated by TOFS Vice Chairman\, Duncan Jackson \n\n\n\n\n16:25 \n  \n\n\nFinal remarks & close  \n\n\n\n\nSpeaker biographies  \n \nDr Charles Shaw-Smith\nDr Charles Shaw-Smith is a Consultant in Clinical Genetics at Royal Devon University Hospital.  He was\, from 2006 to 2010\, a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellow\, based at the Sanger Institute and Department of Clinical Genetics at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. This four-year award enabled him to focus attention on his main research interests of genetic factors in oesophageal atresia and the VACTERL association. Since 2010 Charles has been based at the Royal Devon University Hospital and Peninsula Medical School in Exeter\, where he continues to have a clinical interest in oesophageal atresia and related malformations\, and is currently working on the ‘Lost Twin’ study to try to improve understanding of the causes of OA/TOF. \n \nMiss Clare Skerritt\nClare is a Paediatric Consultant Surgeon at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. She has also contributed to a range of research projects including the Surgical-PEARL protocol\, a multicentre study exploring aetiology management and outcomes for patients with congenital anomalies potentially requiring surgical intervention. \n \nEmma Griffiths\nEmma qualified from the University of Bristol in 2017 and has worked as a doctor in both the UK and New Zealand. She specialises in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is currently undertaking a PhD in Fetal Medicine looking into improving diagnosis and care for babies with congenital anomalies that require surgery after birth. In her spare time she loves cooking and taking her husband on adventurous holidays!  \n \nHelen Marks\nHelen is the Lead Speech and Language Therapist at Bristol Children’s University Hospital. Helen has been working for almost 20 years with OA/TOF patients in Bristol and with the TOFS charity to try and raise the awareness of the role of speech and language therapists in their feeding and swallowing journeys. \nShe is particularly interested in supporting SALTs in the community\, who may not see as many of these patients as they do in a regional hospital. \nHelen’s specific clinical interest is with OA/TOF patients with associated upper airway problems such as vocal cord palsy and tracheomalacia. Along with her SALT\, nursing and surgical colleagues on the NICU\, they have successfully introduced Sham feeding for some of our long gap babies\, using a replogle tube and we are very proud to be the first unit in the UK to do this with a breast-feeding baby. \n \nCarole Melia\nCarole is the Transition Lead at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and was a volunteer family support worker at Bristol Children’s hospital. Before this role she was a college lecturer and senior manager for 40 years including student support and received a postgraduate diploma in health promotion. Carole has also been a TOFS member for many years\, being a parent to her 36-year-old daughter\, Hannah\, born with OA/TOF. She continues to advocate on behalf of her daughter and other OA/TOF adults to improve transition for patients and receive the right care they need.   \nHow to get there:   \nThe seminar will be held at St Michaels Centre\, The Green\, Stoke Gifford\, Bristol\, BS34 8PD. \nIt is also only a 3-minute walk or 2-minute drive from Bristol Parkway\, with good train services from (amongst others) Manchester\, Liverpool\, Birmingham\, London\, and Glasgow. \nBristol Airport is a 30-minute drive away from St Michaels Centre. \nThis is very close to the M4/M32 junction. There is on-street parking on North Road\, The Green and other surrounding roads. Some on-street parking may have restrictions so please note these before leaving your car. Next door\, Bristol Parkway Station has a large multi-story car park that is open for all\, only a 3-minute walk away from the Centre. This is by far the easiest and best parking option. \nDo have a look at the map below for accessible parking spaces at St Michael’s\, and their website for further information how to get there. \n \n \nNearby places to eat: \nSt Michael’s Centre has The Coffee Shop on site\, a great place to grab some lunch ahead of the event. They are open on Saturdays 10am-2pm.   \nAdditional places include: \n\nThe Beaufort Arms\, Stoke Gifford\nAbbeywood Retail Park\, Stoke Gifford\nWinter Stream Farm\, Hambrook\nThe Fox Den\, Stoke Gifford\nThe Gifford Beefeater\n\nNearby places to stay: \nAccommodation in the local area includes: \n\nThe Village Hotel\, Bristol\nHoliday Inn Express\, Filton\nTravelodge\, Filton\, Bristol\nDouble Tree by Hilton\, Bradley Stoke\nAztec West Hotel & Spa\, Almondsbury\n\nAny Questions \nHow much are tickets?  \nTickets are free to TOFS’ Members\, Associates and Health Professionals. If you wish to join TOFS\, please sign up at – https://tofs.org.uk/join-tofs/   \nThough there is no charge to members\, the event has a cost to TOFS\, so please let the office know if you book and then can’t attend.   \nWhere can I book my tickets? \nYou can book your tickets at: https://buytickets.at/tofs/1435152/r/TOFS \nIs there a cancellation deadline?  \nYes. If you can no longer attend\, please let us know via info@tofs.org.uk no later than 3 days before the seminar.    \nCan I watch the seminar online?   \nThis is an in-person event only and will not be live streamed. We encourage members to attend in person to get the full benefits of the event\, listening to the speakers; interacting with the Q&A and discussion sessions; meeting other organisation representatives and TOFS volunteers; and chatting with other members of TOFS who will be attending.   \nSome of the presentations may be recorded and posted online at a later date.     \nIs this a TOFS party?  \nNo\, this is an information seminar.   \nCan I bring my child/children?  \nYou may prefer not to as we kindly ask only children over the age of 13 years to attend. The conference sessions are not appropriate for children and there will not be a creche. Parents/ guardians are responsible at all times for their children/teens. \nWill there be lunch?  \nNo\, but there will be tea\, coffee and biscuits available during the refreshment breaks. You may also bring small snacks with you to the venue. \nWill I get a chance to speak to other families / people affected by OA/TOF?  \nYes\, we will have an extended refreshment break to allow you a chance to chat with other members\, talk to representatives of other organisations\, and TOFS volunteers.  \nIs there wheelchair access?  \nEach room at St Michael’s Centre is accessible through using lifts and ramps. Doors and corridors are wide enough for standard wheelchairs. If you have any disability that may affect your access or participation in the event\, please let us know when ordering your tickets.  \nIf you have any further questions\, please send them to us at info@tofs.org.uk  URL:https://tofs.org.uk/event/tofs-seminar-2025/ LOCATION:St Michaels Centre\,\, The Green\, Stoke Gifford\, Bristol\, BS34 8PD\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Adult TOF,Parents & Carers,Professional,Support ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://tofs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/tofs-logo-tiny-1.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR