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#WEM20 NEW Workshop: Harnessing your inner power: Rapid recovery, resource building and personal resilience

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“There is never enough time to rest/recover/prepare…”

In a constantly moving and ever-changing world there is very little time to truly take care of ourselves. This is even more prevalent as a medic, where you’ll frequently find yourself in challenging and extreme environments having to adapt and react as the situation in front of you unfolds. Leaving little or no time to decompress and escape the pressures and assaults on our mental stability before moving onto our next patient or case.

In our session ‘Harnessing your inner power: Rapid recovery, resource building and personal resilience’ on Day 3 of our World Extreme Medicine Conference, our workshop host Dr Kate Beaven-Marks will be discussing self-hypnosis and how it can become an incredible skill to have in your tool box for when you need to take time out and practice some much needed self-care.

There are huge benefits to be gained for clinicians and emergency workers using self-hypnosis which Kate will be discussing; including releasing and processing trauma, reducing stress, boosting resilience and building coping strategies and resources. As an experienced clinical hypnotist, Kate will be teaching you a specific self-hypnosis method during this session that can be used to help you relax and unwind anywhere and at any time (from noisy helicopter to bumpy transporter). By taking the time to look after yourself, it will leave you feeling refreshed, recharged and ready to face your next challenge.

In addition, self-hypnosis is also a remarkable tool for mental rehearsal, planning and preparing for both expected situations and training for effective contingency responses. So, if you are wanting to make more efficient use of your own inner resources to help you cope more effectively in challenging situations then this session is for you! You will also be able to use the skills learnt in this session to develop and support your colleagues by teaching and sharing what you have learnt.

Join Kate’s workshop on Day 3 – Extreme Pre-Hospital Care and Retrieval Medicine of the 2020 World Extreme Medicine Conference.

The essentials:
Who: Kate Beaven-Marks
What: ‘Harnessing your inner power: Rapid recovery, resource building and personal resilience’
When: Monday 19th October 2020 @ 11.00
Where: Boardroom


Are you ready to be ‘Inspired Beyond The Ordinary’?

Book your tickets today and take the first steps on the road to an amazing career in extreme medicine. Once you’ve confirmed your place, plan out your days using the #WEM20 App (coming soon) where you can search by theme, guest speaker or the days you’re attending. Alternatively, visit our website where workshops are listed by time, date and location. Then from the 18th September you’ll be able to start booking your preferred workshops.

With so many amazing career opportunities all over the world, what are you waiting for?
#BeExtreme

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Andy Elwood - World Extreme Ocean Medicine Course

Men’s Mental Health Specialist, Andy Elwood joins us at #WEM20

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There is nothing more important than our mental health, it’s integral to our physical health and our ability to the best medics we can be. And so, we are delighted to have Andy Elwood, Men’s Mental Health Specialist joining us as a guest speaker at this year’s 2020 World Extreme Medicine ‘Inspiration Beyond the Ordinary’ Conference.

Risking his own life to save others, both as a Paramedic on Search and Rescue Helicopters (a career that has seen him serve 20-years in the emergency services) and as a paramedic on the battlefields of Afghanistan during military service, Andy now saves lives delivering Mental Health First Aid using an internationally recognised education and training programme first introduced to England in 2007 by the Department of Health. By campaigning and delivering this exceptional training, Andy believes he will save more lives than he would by dangling under a SAR helicopter as a paramedic.

Hugely inspiring, his approach is different, refreshing and unique, as well as serving a massive purpose to those that meet him. The conversations Andy is having are enabling culture change regarding mental health and wellbeing for both individuals and organisations, which in turn allows for more openness to occur and often difficult conversations to take place.

Believing mental health deserves parity with physical health, Andy’s initiative has seen him visit emergency services on a tour around the UK using his classic 1973 Land Rover. The project named ‘Andy’s Landie’ encourages others to speak out regarding mental health issues. By taking those that want to out on a drive, enabling them to chat and break down barriers, Andy hopes it will start them on a journey of help.

Andy will be starting the conversation around mental health on Day 2 of our World Extreme Medicine Conference. He’ll be talking candidly about mental health, its importance in today’s culture and how he believes the bravest thing he has ever done is admitting to his own vulnerability, in order to find a way through three very different challenges during his lifetime.

During his session in the biosphere entitled ’Exploring the limits of your reason why’, Andy will be giving us a unique ‘behind the scenes’ insight into life and death situations and to the potential downward spirals due to 21st Century pressures, as well as the potential harm that current pressures present. Andy will share how talking about a traumatic incident, a flashback and burnout have helped him find hope and a different ‘why’.

Feeling ‘Inspired Beyond the Ordinary’?

Join us this year for one of the most energetic and unique networks in the universe and be part of the world’s greatest gathering of extreme medics and thought-leaders; dedicated to inspiring and sharing medical knowledge with you. Book your place today!

#BeExtreme

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Running South America with Katherine Lowrie WEM20

#WEM20 NEW Session: ‘Running South America’ with Katherine Lowrie

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“A feat of extraordinary courage and determination” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes

A real treat for #WEM20 will be to hear from nature conservation advisor, author and illustrator Katherine Lowrie, as she talks to us about her remarkable story of personal endurance. An expedition that saw her become the first, and only woman in the world to have run the entire length of South America (alongside her husband) all to raise money and awareness for conservation.

Combining their love of wildlife and wilderness their epic adventure saw them run the 6,504 mile length of South America unsupported, they travelled through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela as they ran back-to-back marathons (they had run the equivalent of 250 marathons by the end of the expedition), day-after-day, for months on end. In constantly changing environments ranging from jungle, mountains and coasts, the couple ran from the freezing south to the tropical north, slept by the side of the road and pulled everything they needed to survive in a homemade bamboo and recycled bicycle trailer.

They took in awe-inspiring scenery, ran through the biggest rainforest on earth, came across a multitude of wildlife and were able to drop into local schools to talk to children about their journey and enjoy the generosity of the local people. They survived hurricane force winds, searing heat, near 100% humidity, swarms of biting insects and some of the most crime-ridden places on the planet.

Their plight even drew admiration from several celebrities and notable people, including HRH Prince Charles who said:

“I am hugely impressed that you are undertaking such a gruelling and challenging run for such a vitally important cause and I pray you will not have too many blisters, mosquito bites and other travel scars by the time you return from such an extraordinary marathon (…) I send you both my kindness good wishes and admiration”.

Hear Katherine’s remarkable story on Day 1 – Expedition and Wilderness Medicine of the 2020 World Extreme Medicine Conference.

The essentials:

Who: Katherine Lowrie
What: ‘Running South America’
When: Saturday 17th October 2020 @ 17.00
Where: Salisbury Suite

Are you ready to be ‘Inspired Beyond The Ordinary’?

Book your tickets today and take the first steps on the road to an amazing career in extreme medicine. Once you’ve confirmed your place, plan out your days using the #WEM20 App (coming soon) where you can search by theme, guest speaker or the days you’re attending. Alternatively, visit our website where workshops are listed by time, date and location. Then from the 18th September you’ll be able to start booking your preferred workshops.

With so many amazing career opportunities all over the world, what are you waiting for?
#BeExtreme

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Sophie Bostock, World Extreme Medicine Conference

#WEM20 Speaker: Sophie Bostock, a Sleep Evangelist on a mission

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An exciting and unique opportunity to hear from Sophie Bostock, a Sleep Evangelist on a mission who will be discussing the importance of regular sleep-wake patterns for health, performance and wellbeing as well as sharing strategies for anyone preparing to sleep in extreme environments.

We are delighted to welcome Sophie to our 9th annual World Extreme Medicine Conference this October in Edinburgh. As a passionate advocate for the importance of sleep for health and wellbeing, she brings with her an enormous amount of knowledge and experience around the science of sleep and performance. Plus, Sophie will also be sharing her exciting challenge where she will be rowing 2,400 miles across the Pacific in 2021; to get up close and personal with sleep loss and circadian disruption and experiencing first-hand how athletes cope with extreme sleep deprivation in endurance sports.

As today’s frenetic 24/7 world becomes more challenging, psychological resilience is key and with science behind her Sophie argues that sleep holds the key. Sleep loss interferes with all of the critical components of resilience and problem solving, a key factor when dealing with medicine, especially in the extremes.

Sophie’s background is as a scientist and has always been intrigued by what makes us feel good and function. Following degrees in Medicine at Nottingham University and a MSc in Entrepreneurship, and several years consulting before developing an interest in healthcare innovation. Sophie completed a PhD in Psychobiology at University College London (UCL) investigating why happiness protects against heart disease, and how to improve wellbeing at work.

This work led to an interest in sleep and her research pointed to sleep being one of the unsung heroes of mental and physical resilience. It was at this point that Sophie spent the next 5 years first as a research scientist, then as UK Innovation Lead at Big Health, an award-winning digital medicine company, where in 2016 she was awarded an NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellowship for her work on ‘Sleepio’, an online sleep improvement programme that has been made available on the NHS to a fifth of the UK population.

A climbing accident caused by sleep deprivation in 2018 was the trigger for Sophie to become a full-time champion for the importance of sleep and launch www.TheSleepScientist.com. Sophie now works as an independent Sleep Evangelist and when she’s not providing keynote conference talks, TEDx talks, consulting and coaching you’ll find her rowing, climbing, swimming, windsurfing and following the sunshine around the world.

As an energising and inspiring speaker, we can’t wait to welcome Sophie to the mainstage on Day 3 of the conference for her talk about ‘Sleeping in the Extremes’. In this session, Sophie will share findings from 15+ interviews with elite endurance athletes and experienced ocean rowers, to explore preparation, and any physical and mental techniques they have used to improve resilience to sleep loss. This is the perfect session for anyone preparing to sleep in an extreme environment, or coping with circadian disruption, including shift workers.


Feeling ‘Inspired Beyond the Ordinary’?
Join us this year for one of the most energetic and unique networks in the universe and be part of the world’s greatest gathering of extreme medics and thought-leaders; dedicated to inspiring and sharing medical knowledge with you. Book your place today!

#BeExtreme

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World Extreme Medicine ‘Inspiration Beyond The Ordinary’ Conference 2020

What’s NEW: World Extreme Medicine ‘Inspiration Beyond The Ordinary’ Conference 2020

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And so, it begins… our world-renowned World Extreme Medicine Conference just got BIGGER and better!

Fresh voices, new workshops and pioneering research from across the extreme medicine world are gathering in one place for the 9th Annual World Extreme Medicine Conference. Which means we’ve got details, details and even more details.

While we don’t want to give too much away, here is a small taster of the most exciting things heading to #WEM20…

NEW Theme: Inspiration Beyond The Ordinary

This year our theme examines unearthing inspiration beyond the everyday encounters we face as medics and explorers. It’s a full-force celebration of what the mavericks of humankind are capable of when we erase traditional boundaries of medical knowledge and shatter constraints to reach the heart of extreme medicine – and you’re invited.

Mark Hannaford, Conference Founder said:

“The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Inspiration Beyond the Ordinary’. Working as a medic means you’ve already picked a career that is beyond the ordinary – the day to day life of a medical professional is filled with challenges far from what most people would consider ‘normal’. Life-altering injuries, births and deaths are witnessed regularly, sometimes within a single shift.

This has an enormous impact on the physical and mental health of you, as practitioners. Add in an ever-increasing workload and long hours, it’s hardly surprising that stress, burnout and frustration are all on the rise.

Which is why we’ve made ‘inspiration’ the focal point of this year’s WEM Conference. We’ve invited some of the most inspirational speakers from around the globe to share their experiences from the world of extreme medicine. Our timetable is packed with sessions that will point the way to pursuing your own medical adventures and open the door to exciting opportunities that will help you find your own inspiration. You’ll have handy tips to help you manage stress and look after your own mental wellbeing so that patient care, in turn, improves and ensure that above all, you leave inspired, beyond the ordinary.”

NEW Categories: to make planning easier

Following the successful introduction of categories across last year’s conference programme, we’ve brought them back for this year. You’ll see the categories listed across all three days, making it easier for you to plan your days around the speakers you want to hear from and the workshops you don’t want to miss out on. Download our #WEM20 app (watch this space – it’s coming soon) and you will find each category colour coded, so all you have to do is choose the categories you’re interested in, filter the results and track the relevant talks and workshops for the days you’re attending.

The #WEM20 categories are:

  • Medicine Beyond Earth – space, aeronautics and pure escapism.
  • Extreme Innovation – new technologies and ideas that transform and inspire.
  • Beyond the Battlefield – working in the ‘hot zone’, includes military and humanitarian deployments to areas of war and conflict.
  • Extreme Sports – supporting athletes and adventurers who are pushing the limits of human capability.
  • I’m a Casualty, get me out of here! – the art of rescue and evacuation from challenging environments, major incident planning and extended casualty care.
  • Extraordinary Resilience – self-care, psychology and mental health.
  • Extreme Evidence – cutting edge science and primary research.
  • Extreme Careers – inspiration, insights and actionable tips from medics who are on incredible life journeys.
  • Health and Climate Change – environmental and ecological impacts on health and how we should respond as a medical community.
  • Human Factors and Leadership – human performance within complex systems and dynamic environments and inspiring others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.
NEW Guest Speakers: these are just the tip of the iceberg

We are delighted to have some of the world’s most remarkable medics, world-leading adventurers and internationally acclaimed explorers as part of our guest speaker line up this year.

They will inspire and encourage you with their own personal stories and experiences and share new innovations, expertise and wisdom in medicine conducted in challenging and often harsh and dangerous environments.

Guest speakers to look out for include:

Jennifer Ngo-Anh, SciSpace Team Leader – European Space Agency (ESA)
Jennifer coordinates ESA’s ground-based and space-based (e.g. International Space Station) activities in the areas of human research, biology and physical sciences.
Speaking on Day 1

Andy Elwood, Men’s Mental Health Specialist
Campaigner, speaker and Mental Health First Aid instructor, Andy is candid about his own struggles and believes that mental health deserves parity with physical health.
Speaking on Day 2

Vik Mohan, GP
Architect of the award-winning Population, Health and Environment (PHE) programme, Dr Mohan is a champion of biodiversity conservation and global social justice.
Speaking on Day 2

Sophie Bostock, Sleep Evangelist
A champion of sleep, Sophie is on a mission to help millions of people to lead healthier and more productive lives by unlocking the science of sleep and performance.
Speaking on Day 3

Stephen Fabes, Doctor, Presenter & Author
Over 6 years, Stephen crossed 75 countries and pedalled a distance equivalent to over twice around the equator, while exploring the social, historical and political backdrop to health.
Speaking on Day 1

Not to mention some of our favourite speakers and good friends returning to the stage including Salehya Ahsan, Mike Barrett, Burjor Langdana, Kate Baecher, Mike Smith and Karen O’Neil.

NEW Workshops

Across all 3 days we have an array of practical sessions, hands-on workshops and panel discussions that reflect the theme for that day. Learn from our hand-picked experts who will be showcasing and teaching you the essential skills required when in extreme and under-resourced conditions.

Our workshop booking system will go on sale and be available to book from 21st September and remain open until 9th October, meaning you will have more time to research and plan your visit via the #WEM20 app and website. For anyone who misses the booking window we will be setting aside a limited number of spaces for each workshop which will be available on the day on a first come, first served basis.

Workshop highlights include:

  • Running South America – Day 1
    ‘A feat of extraordinary courage and determination’ ~ Sir Ranulph Fiennes
    An extraordinary and gruelling tale of survival through hurricane-force winds, searing heat, near 100% humidity, swarms of biting insects and some of the most crime-ridden places on the planet.
  • Filtering the Noise – Rapid Decision Making – Day 3
    Take part in an immersive experience focused on dealing with simple tasks in a simulated confined space, while under distraction.
  • Rapid Recovery, Resource Building and Personal Resilience – Day 3
    Learn to relax and unwind anywhere (even a noisy helicopter or bumpy transporter) and at any time, for rapid destress and recharge.
  • How to get your First Job as a Humanitarian Medic – Day 2
    How do you prepare for it?  What courses are relevant? How do you make it a career, or juggle with a full-time job? Find out from the experts.
What can you expect across the 3 days?

We have a jam-packed schedule of events bringing you the very best practical training, motivating insights and innovation, plus of course, the most amazing networking opportunities, where else in the world will you have the opportunity to speak with a NASA astronaut one minute and then meet a world record holder and leading explorer the next?

Day 1: Expedition and Wilderness Medicine
Bringing you the very best of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, from the most remote regions of Antarctica to the depths of space.

Day 2: Disaster and Humanitarian Medicine
The day focuses on Humanitarian and Disaster medicine, equipping you with the skills you need in order to deliver medical care where it’s needed most.

Day 3: Extreme Pre-Hospital Care & Retrieval Medicine
Learn about pre-hospital care at its most extreme, as we explore how emergency medicine and prolonged care is delivered in the most remote environments

Our World Extreme Medicine Conference comes highly recommended from past delegates:

”I can say, without hesitation, that the WEM19 programme content was by far the most interesting of all conferences I have experienced.  I felt both humbled and inspired by the sessions I attended and have come away with ideas racing around my mind.”

Gp Capt Di Lamb PhD | Defence Professor of Nursing | Research & Clinical Innovation | Royal Centre for Defence Medicine | Joint Medical Command

So watch this space – there’s still plenty more to come!

If you are ready to be inspired beyond the ordinary, book your tickets now and be part of the world’s greatest gathering of extreme medics and thought-leaders; dedicated to inspiring and sharing medical knowledge with you.

 

 

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Emergensea Girls

Women Exceed Men in Ultra-Endurance – new research project announced at #WEM19

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It’s an exciting time for women in sport, in particular for the women who are increasingly meeting or exceeding male performances in ultra-endurance events, and it was at the 2019 World Extreme Medicine Conference that we heard from two such inspirational women who will be undertaking an exhilarating and potentially ground-breaking research project, whilst taking on one of the most extreme challenges on the planet – rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic

Charlie Fleury and Rosie Alterman aka the ‘Emergensea Girls’, announced at the conference they will be studying the physiology and psychology behind women participating in ultra-endurance sports, whilst taking on the world’s toughest rowing race, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Rowing Challenge 2020.

The girls will be rowing in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes across the Atlantic from La Gomera in the Canaries to Antigua in a 24ft boat and potentially taking on waves measuring up to 20ft high. In addition to conducting research on themselves and simply staying alive, they are also aiming to smash the current women’s pairs record and reach Antigua in under 50 days, as well as supporting the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, with all of their fundraising proceeds being donated to the charity.

The two A&E doctors at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Extreme Medicine MSc Fellows at Exeter University Medical School are going to use the challenge, to carry out preliminary research that they hope will support the theory that women are better than men at ultra-endurance events.

There are numerous hypotheses as to why women are increasingly outperforming men, ranging from evolutionary roots as child-bearers through to the composition of female muscles. During the race Charlie and Rosie will be conducting original research into women and endurance sports as part of their MSc in Extreme Medicine. They will be using data collected from the rowers participating in the Atlantic crossing events in 2019 and 2020 – looking for trends from this year which they can input into the research planned for next year.

As part of their research, the girls will be examining body composition and muscle fatigue pre and post the rows, as well as monitoring the rowers mental health, using questionnaires that the rowers will complete each day, which will profile mood states and provide the rating of perceived effort (a common method used in sports to measure the individual’s perceived exertion at a point in time).

Charlie, who recently had major surgery on her pelvis, said:

“Rosie and I have shared many challenges in the past – ranging from hiking in snake-infested Costa Rica to camping in -20°C in Norway, to surviving a Friday night shift in Exeter’s Emergency Department. What we lack in rowing experience, we more than make up for in determination! In addition to long-distance triathlons and running marathons Rosie volunteers with the RNLI – so is well aware of the unpredictability of the sea and the respect crossing an ocean demands.

We will be training with James Parkes, strength and conditioning coach at Exeter Chiefs Premiership rugby team, and have a variety of other supporters to help us prepare physically and mentally for the challenge for which we are immensely grateful”

Prof. Mark Hannaford, Co-Founder of the MSc Extreme Medicine programme at Exeter and Founder of World Extreme Medicine and Conference added:

“I’m delighted to see real research advances being made as a result of the establishment of the MSc in Extreme Medicine at the University of Exeter Medical School in a partnership with World Extreme Medicine.

This area of medicine has been poorly researched in the past, especially in the area of female psychological response to extremes, and I’m delighted that progress in this area is being made by two exceptional Clinical Fellows enrolled on the course partnered with the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in Devon.”

 

Book your tickets to #WEM20 and be the first to hear about new initiatives and ground-breaking research studies in the world of extreme medicine.
#BeExtreme

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Blast Damaged Children - new ‘Partnership Initiative’ to help announced at #WEM19

Blast Damaged Children – new ‘Partnership Initiative’ to help announced at #WEM19

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  • One in six children in the world live in a conflict zones and are seven times more likely to die from blast injuries than adults involved in fighting according to UNICEF
  • Hundreds of CT scans from war zones made newly available
  • Improved knowledge sharing – better coordination and joined-up thinking announced

Dr Michael von Bertele, of the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership, Save the Children and former Director General of the British Army Medical Services, announced an ambitious new Partnership Initiative at the 2019 World Extreme Medicine Conference in Edinburgh, that will incorporate organisations including WHO, ICRC, MSF, Red Cross, Red Crescent, The David Knott Foundation, Humanity and Inclusion, researchers from Radboud (NL) Linköping and Karolinska (Sweden), Stanford University (USA) and a variety of UK academic Institutions including Imperial College.

Speaking on Day 2 of the conference in a dedicated session ‘Improving the Care of Children in Conflict’, he described how this vital new Partnership Initiative plans to tackle the challenges of treating children who have been maimed and injured by explosive weapons and by explosive remnants (such as mines and IOD’s) of war in conflict environments around the world.

As an example, in Syria in recent years, 82% of child deaths were caused by landmines, unexploded ordinance, air strikes, and other explosives, and prompted medics working in the region to plead for help in treating injured children. That help must take account of how children differ from adults, and must address their physical, psychological and social needs at different stages of development. Without highly specialised knowledge, sub-optimal care leaves many children with terrible disabilities, and often intractable pain for life.

As a result, last year the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership launched the first ever Field Manual for treating blast injured children. This vital tool – which has now been translated into Arabic and is constantly being updated, has become an invaluable resource for medics in war and conflict zones, enabling them to provide the best possible care with limited resources and equipment.

Michael von Bertele is now heading a major new initiative to bring together the many organisations around the world who work in conflict zones and treat children, to try to identify where there are gaps in knowledge and capability, and to stimulate the research that will improve that care. There is currently very little systematic research in this field, and very little sharing of data, experience and knowledge.

New CT scan “bank”
Another example of where the Partnership is breaking new ground is in a detailed study of several hundred CT scans of injured children collected by military medical services in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will be used to describe and understand exactly how those children were injured and whether their treatment was right. This valuable collection has not previously been available for use in this way.

Dr. Michael Von Bertele said:

“We know there’s a huge capability and knowledge gap in the understanding and treatment of conflict related injuries of all types in children at different ages. In particular we need to involve local workers and medics in identifying those gaps – and provide support and training to them – not just to western aid organisations.

There is also a real lack of information about how many children have actually been injured, how they have been treated, and what has happened to them. Very few get any follow up to see what their needs are as they grow up. A child suffering from malnutrition has a good chance of recovering if fed. A child who has lost a limb or been badly burned in an explosive event may require many revisions of an amputation or scarring as he or she grows, but in most countries, will never receive that care and will live with a lifelong disability, often on the margins of society.

So many children are being treated in an ad hoc way – and their needs are not just physical, hundreds of thousands of children also suffer from the psychological consequences of being exposed to such violence in their communities as a result of war.

We are looking at taking a very pragmatic approach, trying to identify what we can do to help here and now – not at some vague time in the future. We can draw on the extensive knowledge and experience of military and humanitarian experts in the partnership, and kick start a research collaboration that will generate the knowledge, skills and will to make a real difference to the lives of these children wherever they are in the world. Of course, it would be better if children were not being caught up in these wars but for as long as they are, we plan to make sure they get better care than they do now. That is their right, and our responsibility.

Prof. Mark Hannaford, founder of World Extreme Medicine added

“We are so pleased to be able to provide a platform for Michael to announce this truly critical initiative – and I’m sure it will provoke a great deal of feedback from our audience. It is tragic that increasing numbers of innocent children are getting caught up in the horrors of war these days.
Most medics have been trained to look after adults, so the continuation of last years’ first steps to address dealing with children is a great leap forward.”

 

Book your tickets to #WEM20 and be the first to hear about new initiatives and ground-breaking research studies in the world of extreme medicine.

#BeExtreme

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Antibiotic Resistance

#WEM19: Antibiotic Resistance – a threat on a par with Climate Change

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Latest research regarding antibiotic resistance was revealed at the 2019 World Extreme Medicine Conference (#WEM19) that took place in Edinburgh, as well as discussions on a few of the issues surrounding this current threat, such as over prescribing, lack of regulation and illicit OTC sales.

The World Bank estimates that between 1.1% and 3.8% of global GDP could be lost due to antibiotic resistance, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of a microorganism to stop an antimicrobial from working against it if left unchecked – roughly the same as the global economic impact of climate change.

At #WEM19, leaders in this field, Dr’s. Aula Abbara, Consultant in Infectious Diseases, and Esmita Charani, Senior Lead Pharmacist, both of Imperial College London, talked about AMR, the threat it poses all of us, and how it particularly affects populations in conflict zones, refugees and lower income countries. The World Bank projects that 24 million people could fall into extreme poverty by 2050 because of antimicrobial resistance, most of these people would come from low and middle-income countries.

AMR is a particular worry in war zones with over-prescribing amongst doctors driven by patient expectations and little regulation in the distribution and OTC sale of antibiotics. As an example; several hundred households in Syria were sampled randomly and 85% of responders reported using antimicrobials in the preceding 4 weeks, with only 43% of these courses being prescribed by a healthcare professional.

During their informative session on Day 2 of the conference (Disaster and Humanitarian Medicine), Aula and Esmita focused on how medics working in humanitarian settings will encounter this problem and what they can do to treat and mitigate it.

In particular they spoke about “antibiotic stewardship” – what doctors and patients anywhere in the world can do to ensure antibiotics are used sensibly – so we have them available to us as a therapeutic option for as long as possible. They also discussed how antibiotics are currently being used in hospitals and how poor communication between medical teams often results in antibiotic misuse, which will ultimately have an effect on all of us.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, the outgoing chief medical officer and the UK’s first Special Envoy on AMR has highlighted it as a ‘catastrophic threat’ which is on par with Climate Change – but the problem has not yet been met with the same levels of interest or activism.

Aula and Esmita commented:

“It’s a sad fact of life that Antibiotic Resistance is just not visual enough to grab the headlines. Conflict destroys health systems and it’s all too easy for a local medic to give an antibiotic when the patient asks for it. That’s also increasingly true in many western health systems.

The scale of the problem cannot be exaggerated – and we need to do something to address it fast.”

 

Book your tickets to #WEM20 and join the discussion on world health issues and how they could impact the work of you and your team.

#BeExtreme

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How the World Extreme Medicine Conference can help further your medical career

Conference founder Mark Hannaford on why #WEM20 is so important and how it can help further your medical career

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This is the 9th year we have held an annual World Extreme Medicine Conference and interest in this area of medicine is growing all the time. Now, more than ever before, medical professionals are being asked to deliver high quality medicine in the world’s most remote areas; supporting expeditions, adventure holidays, responding to sudden onset disasters or being deployed on humanitarian missions.

Over the 3-day conference held in Edinburgh, we will cover everything from pre-hospital, to expedition and military medicine, as well as humanitarian healthcare in crisis situations.

Doctors and medics who decide to work in extreme medicine will have a rewarding and dynamic career that offers plenty of diversity and challenges along the way, but it can be incredibly tough at times and individuals need to ensure they are suited to the job. You need to be able to cope with long deployments far away from home and work in situations that may expose you to things that shock you or even threaten your safety.

The aftermath of a deployment, particularly in a crisis zone, can also be difficult to navigate. It is quite common to get post-expedition blues, and medics can suffer from PTSD just like combat soldiers. For disaster medicine, you need huge adaptability and ability to respond quickly. One of the benefits of the conference is that organisations such as Medicins San Frontieres and the International Red Cross come and explain what it is they do, with feedback from medics who have already volunteered. This will cement some people’s determination to sign up, but others can see that it isn’t for them.

The military has driven many of the advances in trauma medicine which are saving lives in NHS hospitals and at road traffic accidents in the UK right now. Defence Medical Services are one of our partners and they will be on hand to talk about opportunities within the service for medics who wish to follow a military pathway.

Raleigh International is another partner organisation that needs the services of well-trained medics. They take young people on expeditions to build their confidence and increase their opportunities and they have a very well established medical system.

You don’t need to be a trauma consultant or a medical doctor to get involved. There is a great need for healthcare workers who have the skills to give ongoing treatment to people who may be swept up in a crisis situation. People in the Bahamas may be coping with the aftermath of a devastating storm, but they still need physiotherapy, maternity nurses, psychological assistance and paramedics to attend emergencies.

If you have a calling, there’s a place for you!

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Sacha Dench to speak at World Extreme Medicine Conference

Human Swan Flies into Guinness World Records Books and joins #WEM19

WEM-SocialWorld Extreme Medicine Conference Speakers,

Sacha Dench – known as the “Human Swan” who earned a Guinness World Records™ title for becoming the first woman to traverse the English Channel in a paramotor joined us on Day 2 of the conference, speaking about her expeditions and future plans including her ‘Flight of the Osprey’ expedition.

Sacha’s Guinness World Records™ crossing was the crowning glory towards the end of Sacha’s epic 7,000km journey from Arctic Russia to the UK as part of the ‘Flight of the Swans’ expedition. Sacha followed the long and meandering migration route of the Bewick’s Swans across 11 countries in order to raise awareness of the threats to the Bewick’s, which are declining dramatically in numbers.

The Channel crossing was made from Aeroclub du Boulonnais in France to Dover and took a total time of 1 hour 38 minutes. From Dover she flew the final leg of this mammoth journey to arrive at the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre and one of the Bewick’s primary overwintering locations – just in time for Christmas 2016.

Sacha also received the Britannia Trophy – she is the first woman to receive this prestigious aviation award in 50 years.

Sacha said:

“This is a terrific accolade and I am grateful to Guinness World Records and all the people who supported me. The journey was arduous but uplifting in so many ways. I met so many diverse people on the route and hope that by talking to them about the Bewick’s plight I have left a legacy across the route that will galvanise individuals and organisations to continue to help. The crossing was quite emotional – when I saw the white cliffs of Dover, I knew that I had nearly done it! But just think – the journey is what each swan does at just 12 weeks old, twice a year for their entire life – it’s testament to the complexity and hardship they must endure just to survive”

Senior Editor at Guinness World Records, Adam Millward, who worked with Sacha’s team and external paragliding experts to confirm the record, said:

“We’re delighted to recognise Sacha’s incredible aviation milestone with an official GWR title. If her pioneering attitude, first-class piloting skills and total unflappability weren’t impressive enough, the fact that this entire project was centred on taking a proactive approach to conservation makes this achievement all the more commendable.

This recognition comes at a fitting time as Guinness World Records Day 2019, taking place on 14 November, is all about celebrating our amazing record-breakers’ spirit of adventure. Having recently met Sacha, I’m left in no doubt that spirit of adventure is something this conservationist has in bucketloads – with some to spare! We’ll be keeping a close eye on Sacha’s upcoming osprey odyssey in 2020. I have a distinct feeling this won’t be the last we hear of her here at GWR…”

The World Record entry can be found here.

New 10,000km 15 country paramotor flight announced

Sacha, under the umbrella of Conservation Without Borders* recently announced a new paramotor expedition to follow the migration route of ospreys from Scotland to West Africa crossing 15 countries. The magnificent osprey, a bird once common across Europe was driven to extinction in the 1800s.

The “Flight of the Osprey” expedition is an international collaboration that will investigate the threats to the osprey along their range including sampling for pollutants and plastics at critical sites – the underwater world so important to the fish-eating ospreys.

 

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