A Cambridgeshire patient safety campaigner is marking the ninth anniversary of advocating for patients harmed by surgical mesh implants.
Kath Sansom, from March, set up the Sling the Mesh campaign in June 2015, two months after she experienced painful complications from pelvic mesh surgery.
The campaign began with 20 women offering support to each other and now has more than 10,500 members from around the world.
The former journalist for this newspaper group has also succeeded in getting one type of mesh suspended, another banned and has pushed for a series of regulatory reforms.
The global support movement includes women suffering life altering complications form pelvic mesh surgery usually given to fix problems from childbirth such as prolapse or incontinence.
There are also men suffering pain and infection from hernia mesh, women harmed by rectopexy mesh and breast cancer patients suffering complications because of mesh used in their mastectomy reconstructions.
Kath, 56, said: “When I set up Sling The Mesh I had no idea how big it would grow or how much time it would take.
“It has consumed hours of my spare time, often getting up at 4am to fit in some campaigning before work, on my days off and even on Christmas Day.
“I’m often seen with my head buried in my phone when out and about busy sending emails or replying to messages.
“But as difficult as it is, the reward is knowing that it has become a valuable support group offering comradeship and understanding to thousands of people harmed by surgical mesh.”
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Kath says she will continue to raise public awareness and advocate for better regulation and support for patients.
Sling The Mesh also continues to press for better informed consent and an effective redress system for those harmed.
The only funding Kath has received is financial support to cover her travel costs for Parliamentary meetings and a £350 donation from her local Tesco from a secondhand book sale.
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