I am delighted to have the privilege of leading the fabulous team at Fertility Network UK. I joined the charity as Chief Executive in November 2017, following a career that included a variety of roles in industry and the charity sector. It is a hugely exciting time to join the team, as we commemorate 40 years of IVF, and celebrate all the babies born through this life-changing technology. Research indicates 1 in 6 people in the UK face fertility challenges, and Fertility Network is the only UK-wide charity providing free and impartial advice to people, wherever they are on their fertility journey. Infertility can be a lonely and isolating journey, whether you are considering your future fertility, trying to become a parent or facing life without the child you hoped for. We will provide you with information and practical and emotional support

Raef Faris is a consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility specialist at the Lister Hospital/ Lister Fertility Clinic, the UK's largest private IVF Unit. Since it opened in 1988, over 17,600 babies have been born from fertility treatment with the clinic.

He also works in the colposcopy department in Chelsea and St Mary’s Hospital Imperial College London. Dr Faris graduated from Cairo University in 1991 where he obtained his MSc degree. He moved to the UK in 1999 where he obtained the MRCOG and then FRCOG. His clinical training in the UK in Obstetrics and Gynecology began at The Ipswich Hospital and was completed at Nottingham University Hospitals. He obtained a special skills certificate in medical education by the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists. Dr Faris is an accredited laparoscopic surgeon by the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists and has also obtained the European Universities Diploma of Operative Gynaecological Endoscopies at Université d’Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand France in 1999. He is an accredited trainer in embryo transfer, assisted conception, pelvic ultrasound, and Quality Management of fertility service by the British Fertility Society. He is a member and trainer of BSCCP.

Kate Brian will present 2 seminars at this years show. Kate Brian began her career at the BBC as a News Trainee, and went on to work on Panorama before leaving for ITN. She spent ten years at ITN, working mainly on Channel Four News as a specialist producer covering Home Affairs.

Kate wrote her first book, In Pursuit of Parenthood, giving the patient perspective on IVF, after going through fertility treatment herself. Her second book, The Complete Guide to Female Fertility, was published by Piatkus in 2007, followed by The Complete Guide to IVF in 2009 and Precious Babies - Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting after Infertility in 2011.

Kate has been awarded for her work for Fertility Network UK and continues to work as the charity’s London Representative. She edits the Journal of Fertility Counselling and also writes freelance features for national newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian and Telegraph. Kate presented the BBC Radio documentary ‘The New Viking Invasion’. She was a lay member of the NICE fertility guideline development group and sits on the Women’s Network of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Consultant Gynaecologist and Clinical Lead for Reproductive Medicine at St Mary's Hospital Manchester

Chief Executive Fertility Network UK

Secondary infertility & Author of 'More Love to Give'

Susan is chief Executive of the patient charity Infertility Network UK- the only national charity in the UK, which supports anyone experience fertility issues.

http://fertilitynetworkuk.org/

She has first-hand experience of infertility and treatment and understands how difficult it can be to discover that starting a family can be far from simple. She passionately believes that eligibility for NHS fertility treatment should not depend on postcode.


A strong advocate of emotional support and counselling for everyone struggling to conceive, her mission is to change the conversation and get people talking about fertility issues, help promote a better understanding of the options which exist and highlight the extent and impact which infertility can have on people's lives.

Tim’s undergraduate training was at the Universities of Cambridge and London, followed by postgraduate training in Oxford and Montreal (McGill University). His MD was awarded by the University of London, titled ‘Clinical and ultrasound prediction of outcome in unstimulated oocyte in-vitro maturation cycles.’

Following completion of RCOG Sub-Specialist Training in Reproductive Medicine Tim was appointed in 2004 as a Senior Fellow in the NDOG and an Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital. He is currently Medical Director of the Oxford Fertility Unit and a Founding Director of The Fertility Partnership, the UK’s largest assisted conception network. I was appointed as an Associate Professor in the NDOG in 2015.

Tim is a member of the Guidelines Development Group for Fertility for NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence), on the board of the fertility lobbying group Fertility Fairness, and a member of the Teaching Board for the University of Oxford MSc in Clinical Embryology, which OFU has very close ties with.

Richard’s Seminar on Saturday at the show - Two years ago Richard attended the Fertility Show as a visitor during a particularly low point in his life.  In his presentation he opens up about the dark, emotional times he went through and how hard he found it to express his feelings.  He hopes his own experiences can help others on their journey.

Richard is a male infertility campaigner and former visitor to the Show, is speaking on Men Matter Too; how men can move on from the despair of infertility (and better support their partners). He will talk about the emotional times he went through and how hard he found it to express his feelings – to help others on their journey.

Seminar by Jessica Hepburn 16.45-17.30 Saturday

A patient’s experience of the fertility rollercoaster and what to expect

If you are about to start fertility treatment for the first time, prepare yourself for the physical and emotional ups and downs ahead with this talk by Jessica Hepburn, fertility campaigner and author of Amazon bestseller, The Pursuit of Motherhood, which chronicles her long struggle to have a child. Jessica outlines her experiences and offers practical advice following 11 cycles of IVF including her top tips for survival.