Founder & CEO

Jared is Annabelle’s dad and the Founder & CEO of Annabelle’s Challenge.

He is responsible for the day to day running of the charity and works closely with the EDS National Diagnostic Service.

Jared is also actively involved with the VEDS Support Programme and a volunteer NHS responder with the Royal Voluntary Service. 

Mental Health First Aider accredited by MHFA England and Emergency First Aid trained.

Patient Coordinator

Danika is a Patient Coordinator at Annabelle’s Challenge and joined the charity in April 2022.

Before joining the charity Danika was a childcare professional with 13 years’ experience of working with children and their families.

Danika has completed her studies of Mental Health at college and gained a qualification in Mental Health Awareness Level 1 and Level 2 in Social Care and Children’s And Young Peoples Mental Health. She has also achieved Level 2 in counselling skills.

Mental Health First Aider accredited by MHFA England and Emergency First Aid trained.

Patient Coordinator 

Scarlett joined Annabelle's Challenge in October 2023 taking on the role of patient coordinator.

"I am so pleased to be given this amazing opportunity to take on the role as a patient coordinator for the charity to help support all our members both existing and newly diagnosed. I have previous experience in childcare, and I love to travel especially to Ireland".

Mental Health First Aider accredited by MHFA England and Emergency First Aid trained.

Head of Staff Morale

Lola joined us in the office in June 2022 and is very much part of the team here at Annabelle’s Challenge.

Following a pawfect pawbrationary period we were delighted to promote her to Head of Staff Morale. Lola now oversees our wellbeing helping to reduce stress, boost office morale and keeps all the AC team happy and focused.

Public Relations

Elizabeth Wilson is a Sydney-based freelance copywriter, web content writer and PR consultant. Originally from Manchester, UK, she has been writing for over 25 years and has supported the charity from the start in 2013.

"I was delighted to help Jared and Sarah to tell Annabelle’s story and launch Annabelle’s Challenge to the media. I designed and created the charity’s distinctive pink crown logo."

Photographer

Meg is the official photographer for Annabelle's Challenge supporting the charity since 2015.

In April 2022 Meg joined the Annabelle's Challenge board of trustees.

We are delighted to have Meg on board with our team working closely to ensure our events and conferences are captured and also helping to raise awareness.

Chairperson

David took up the role of trustee and chairperson of Annabelle’s Challenge in May 2022. 

He is a champion of the LGBTQI+ community in Bury and has built up a successful career at Bury Council and is now Head of Commercial Services. 

As well as being involved in supporting the LGBTQI+ community in Bury and Greater Manchester, he co-founded the Bury LGBTQI+ Forum, a charity which supports LGBTQI+ people and helps organisations to be inclusive. He has been instrumental in driving and leading Bury Pride to become the UK’s best small pride event in 2021. 

David was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester in March 2022.

Trustee

Hi, I’m Meg. Followers of Annabelle’s Challenge may know me as the lady behind the camera as I’ve been the AC photographer since meeting Jared, Sarah and Annabelle in 2016. I started my photography business back in 2013 specialising in weddings, events and commercial products. 

I am a qualified Occupational Therapist. I also have a background in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) supporting young people with their recovery and mental health journey. 

Being at each of the events, fundraisers and the vEDS conferences, I have seen up close the impact vEDS has on individuals and families, and I’m honoured to have a more substantial role within Annabelle’s Challenge in helping them raise awareness and funds to support the vEDS community and further research.

Trustee 

Andy is a Chartered Accountant qualifying in 1993. He has spent his career working in the hospitality industry currently as the Chief Financial Officer of the Yotel hotel group. 

Andy’s son was diagnosed with vEDS in 2005 and his wife Jacqui volunteers for the charity as the area coordinator for South East England.

Trustee

Christina joined Annabelle's Challenge in 2013 as a volunteer before taking up the role of patient coordinator in 2019, a role she held for 3 years helping to shape the future of the charity and securing vital funding from The National Lottery.

"In August 2019 I was delighted to take on the new role as the patient coordinator for the charity to help support all our members both existing and newly diagnosed. My role included managing the vEDS database, providing support & advice, supporting the CEO and facilitating referrals to our EDS clinics in Sheffield & London. I am also a Mental Health First Aider accredited by MHFA England."

Christina has a first class honours in Psychology and is currently a school support worker. She joined the board of trustees on 1st March 2023.

Trustee

Clare joined Annabelle's Challenge in December 2018 and has now taken on the role of trustee on the Annabelle’s Challenge board effective from 1st October 2023. Prior to her appointment to the board of trustees Clare was a member of the VEDS Steering Group. Her son was diagnosed with vascular EDS in 2007.

Clare is a senior sales consultant at Oxford University Press and also a trustee for the Walk and Talk Trust. 

Previous roles include sales and a flight attendant at Virgin Atlantic and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

VEDS Diagnosed

Avene was diagnosed with vascular EDS in 2012 and joined Annabelle's Challenge in May 2022. 

Avene is a scientist and works in biotech focusing on the discovery and development of new drugs. 

"By joining the steering group at Annabelle's Challenge I hope I can combine my experiences both as a drug discovery scientist and as a vEDS patient to bring a unique perspective and help the vEDS community".

VEDS Diagnosed

Gemma was diagnosed with vEDS in 2016 and joined Annabelle’s Challenge shortly afterwards. She is currently working as a junior doctor and hopes to start training to be a GP soon.

"I would love to be able to take advantage of my role as a doctor to help bridge the gap between vEDS patients and healthcare professionals." 

VEDS Diagnosed

Sophie is the regional coordinator for the Yorkshire vEDS support group. 

She is a retired GP and public health doctor. Sophie was diagnosed with vascular EDS in 2012 after a series of arterial dissections and joined Annabelle's Challenge in May 2017.

VEDS Diagnosed

Ryan joined Annabelle’s Challenge in October 2020 and was diagnosed with vascular EDS in 2010.

Ryan is a mortgage advisor and joined the VEDS Steering Group in November 2022.

VEDS Carer

Surjeet joined AC in December 2016, three generations of his family are affected by vascular EDS.

Surjeet is a retired police Chief Superintendent with 30 years service.  He has a wealth of experience working with partner agencies and local communities. 

In 2013 he was awarded the Queens Police Medal for his contribution to policing and transforming the way in which the police engaged with communities.

VEDS Carer

Jacqui joined Annabelle's Challenge in November 2014.

Her son was diagnosed with vascular EDS in 2005.

Jacqui is a volunteer regional coordinator for Annabelle's Challenge in the South East and is also a community first responder.

VEDS Carer

Holly is our advocate for young adults and children touched by vEDS and supports her mum who has recently been diagnosed with vEDS.

She is a Young Ambassador at Action for Children, Membership Assistant at Coeliac UK and achieved the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Holly also volunteers at a youth club which supports young people and those with disabilities or difficulties.

Lead ICC Advanced Nurse Practitioner

As part of her role Katy continues to develop Inherited Cardiac Condition (ICC) services at University Hospitals of North Midlands, and has recently set up an ICC genetics clinic and one stop screening clinic at UHNM. 

Katy has a particular interest in aortopathies, and has experience carrying out aortopathy clinics, continuing to develop the aortopathy service at UHNM. She has participated in delivering presentations for various GP, Registrar and MSc training programmes and has recently completed an MSc in Advanced Professional Practice (Genetic Healthcare) at Plymouth University.

Genetic Counsellor

Claire Green is a registered genetic counsellor working in the EDS National Diagnostic Service in Sheffield. Claire specialises in working with individuals and families with the rare types of EDS. 

She has extensive experience in this area as the EDS service sees substantial numbers of patients with classical EDS and vascular EDS as well as patients with all of the very rare types of EDS. 

Genetic Counsellor

Jessica is a registered genetic counsellor based at the EDS National Diagnostic Service in Sheffield.

Jessica provides essential counselling to give people information about genetic conditions and how they are inherited, and works very closely with the clinical geneticists.

Genetic Counsellor

Tammy Kammin is a registered genetic counsellor at the EDS National Diagnostic Service in Sheffield.

Tammy's role is to provide support and genetic advice to families affected by the rarer types of EDS.

Genetic Counsellor

Dr Juliette Harris is a specialist genetic counsellor for the London-based EDS National Diagnostic Service. 

As well as providing routine genetic counselling for rare types of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and aortopathies, Juliette is also involved in research projects and is particularly interested in the impact that patient involvement and self-advocacy has on improving outcomes for people with vascular EDS. 

VEDS Diagnosed

VEDS Diagnosed

VEDS Carer

VEDS Carer

Genetic Counsellor

Genetic Counsellor

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