Humanitarian and paralympian headline at public lecture series

The lecture marks Liverpool’s Year of Health and Wellbeing

Humanitarian, Terry Waite and paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson will take part in the University of Liverpool’s 2010 public lecture series to mark the city’s Year of Health and Wellbeing.

They will be joined by Head of the South Africa Medical Unit at Médecins Sans Frontií¨res (MSF), Nathan Ford, and Director of the International Institute for Society and Health, Professor Sir Michael Marmot.

Humanitarian and peace negotiator, Terry Waite, brought about the release of hostages in both Iran and Libya during the 1980s.  In 1987, he was sent to Beirut in Lebanon to rescue four western captives, but was taken hostage himself, spending the next five years in captivity.  Terry, a University of Liverpool honorary graduate, will discuss his time as a hostage and how he developed ways to keep mentally, spiritually and physically healthy.

Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is widely regarded as one the most successful disabled athletes in the world.  Since 1984 she has won a total of 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 golds, and has won the London Marathon six times.  She has recently been appointed to the House of Lords, where she will serve as a crossbench peer.  Baroness Tanni will discuss her career in the sporting industry and the benefits of keeping physically fit.

Nathan Ford has worked for the international medical relief agency, Médecins Sans Frontií¨res (MSF) since 1998. MSF South Africa recruits medical and other professionals to work on projects around the world, raising awareness of health issues in the region by sharing information with the South African public, the media and government agencies.  Nathan will discuss research to support the provision of HIV and Aids care in under-resourced settings.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot is Principal Investigator of the Whitehall Studies of British civil servants. He leads the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and is engaged in several international research efforts on the social determinants of health.  At the request of the British Government, he conducted a review of health inequalities, which published its report, ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives’, earlier this year.  Sir Michael will discuss the findings of this report and his research in public health.

Tickets are free and available by telephoning the ticket line on 0151 709 3789.  All lectures will take place at 6.30pm.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Seize the Day
Tuesday, 27 April
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Professor Sir Michael Marmot
Fair Society, Healthy Lives
Wednesday, 23 June
University of Liverpool’s Sherrington Building, Ashton Street

Nathan Ford
Humanitarian Action and Medical Innovation: Providing HIV/Aids Care in Resourced-Limited Settings
Monday, 5 July
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Terry Waite CBE
Survival in Solitude
Tuesday, 5 October
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Notes to editors:

The University of Liverpool is a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive institutions in the UK. It attracts collaborative and contract research commissions from a wide range of national and international organisations valued at more than £98 million annually.

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