Dr Beverly Searle, CEO of Unique, is retiring at the end of August, marking the end of more than 30 years of service to the charity for people with rare chromosomal conditions.
Unique is based in the UK and collects data from people with rare chromosomal and genetic conditions associated with learning disability and developmental delay, with the aim of discovering how the mutation affects health, development and daily living throughout an affected person's lifetime. This database is maintained by the charity who work alongside volunteers and geneticists who use this information to develop guides for patients, families and doctors, in a number of languages. The charity also provides support and networking opportunities to families affected by these conditions.
Dr Searle said: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to work collaboratively with so many amazing families, support groups and talented, generous professionals over the years to build Unique into the strong, impactful and rapidly growing organisation of over 24,000 member families that it is today. I know that Unique is in safe hands as Sarah Wynn picks up the baton and will go from strength to strength. Thank you all!'.
She had been involved with the charity since 1990 when her daughter Jenny was born profoundly disabled and with complex medical needs due to a chromosome deletion. Dr Searle was already a postdoctoral researcher in the biochemistry and genetics of yeast before the birth of her daughter, and this background served her well at the charity, and she eventually became the CEO of Unique in 1999.
Dr Searle's retirement marks over 30 years of service helping families affected by rare chromosomal and genetic conditions, including following the sad death of her own daughter at the age of 21.
Her role will be taken over by Dr Sarah Wynn, currently an information officer with Unique, as interim CEO. She is currently studying for an MSc in Genetic and Genomic Counselling.
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