Research User Group newsletter 2019 RUG newsletter FINAL version 30.10.19 | Page 12

12 SPOTLIGHT ON
RUG member
DEB
HICKSON
The reason I was interested in joining the RUG was
partly due to my background. I have 3 MSK
conditions, osteoarthritis being one of them, so I live
with daily multi-sited joint pain and have since
childhood. My background is in the public sector
alongside various voluntary roles including
mentoring young adults.
Over 20 years ago, I decided to pursue my interest in
complimentary therapies. This followed a difficult
time in my life, my pain had worsened, I was recovering from a major operation and I needed to
make many changes to improve my quality of life.  This steered me towards the ‘esoteric’, for
example, how breathing and relaxation techniques can reduce pain, the importance of avoiding
various foods to reduce inflammation and also how mobility helps to relieve joint pain.
I directed my energy towards combining all of this information and applying it to my life. This
resulted in becoming a living example of how beneficial this can be. I still experience pain but it
does not define me, it sits in the periphery of my thinking, enabling me to enjoy my life. Becoming
involved with the RUG seemed to be a natural progression for me, I was intrigued to observe ‘the
other side of the coin’, I craved to know how research is developed, how it is implemented and how
it eventually impacts the patient.
In 2017, I attended the Research User Group annual meeting at Keele Hall. This was the perfect
environment for me, the informative talks from the different speakers were fascinating plus there
was humour too which I feel is always welcome in what could be seen as an intimidating
experience! Moving forward, I am now an active member of the RUG, and have been involved in
various research projects including the redesign of a patient friendly information leaflet. I am also
a co applicant on a research project.
I have enjoyed every moment at Keele, the staff are wonderful people, approachable and
supportive, especially the PPIE team.  I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who fits the bill to
consider becoming part of the RUG, it certainly empowers you and the patient’s voice is always
taken seriously. After all, sufferers of MSK conditions are, ultimately the experts on living with
these conditions and it is worthwhile to share this valuable information we hold to
enable us to work towards helping other patients in the future.