Lee-Anne McHarry - London Expand "Hello, I am Lee-Anne McHarry and I am a Paediatric Dietitian who specialised in the ketogenic diet at St George's Hospital, London where I had the privilege of being the first funded Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian treating children with complex epilepsy on the ketogenic diet. My passion for the diet grew quickly and the children and their dedicated parents made my job as so much easier and extremely rewarding. Seeing how the ketogenic diet can change the lives of children had a real impact on me. Many of the children I worked with struggled immensely, some having 100+ seizures a day and without the diet would not have reached their full potential. The diet works at various levels for different children and although they may not become completely seizure free, the results their parents and I witnessed made it worthwhile to continue with the diet. It is truly amazing when diet therapy can help change a child from one who lays down all day, barely able to move, to one who is rolling, making purposeful and intentional movements and laughing. I returned to Cape Town, South Africa in January 2008 with the same drive and passion to bring the ketogenic diet to the forefront with neurologists and paediatricians who care for children with epilepsy. I have set up "Keto Kids" a Ketogenic Diet Centre in Cape Town and hope to support and encourage children and their families on their ketogenic diet journey. I offer training to dietitians in South Africa who would want to work on the ketogenic diet but have never done so before. I have a degree in biochemistry and dietetics and find the two complement each other greatly. I fine tune the ketogenic diet by monitoring blood ketone levels alongside blood glucose levels and am pleased to say that we have had many success stories. I am grateful to Sara and David and all at The Daisy Garland for their ongoing encouragement and support. Because of their dedication, passion and hard work the diet has reached South Africa!"
Alison Hill - Plymouth Expand "Hello, I am Alison Hill. I grew up in Northern Ireland and qualified in 1993 from Leeds Metropolitan University. I took up my first job at Dr Gray's Hospital, Morayshire, Scotland covering all aspects of dietetics. In 1996 I moved to Plymouth working mostly in oncology, neurology, neurosciences and paediatrics. After raising my 3 children to school age I needed a new challenge and was aware of the ketogenic diet as part of a cutting-edge treatment for epilepsy. I was also aware of the ongoing ketogenic study at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I took up the post of Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian in November 2008. It was a little daunting setting up a new service, but I enlisted the help of a Consultant Paediatrician and Clinical Pathologist and together we have produced a Care Pathway for children enrolling for the ketogenic diet and devised a Metabolic Investigations Programme. We accept referrals throughout the South West and as a result of Daisy Garland Funding have expanded our reach to grow this invaluable service."
Tara Randall - London Expand "Hello, my name is Tara Randall and I have been working for Guy's & St Thomas NHS Trust as a Paediatric Dietitian for 20 years. Our ketogenic patient group has increased rapidly, and my knowledge, especially in the practical areas of the ketogenic diet, has improved considerably. I work in the Evelina Children's Hospital as part of our keto team, offering the Classical and MCT ketogenic diets, and also the modified ketogenic diet. We strive to ensure that the type of diet and practicalities of the diet are adapted for each individual child. I enjoy the challenge of working with ketogenic diets, and thanks to The Daisy Garland funding I look forward to developing the service and working with more families."
Mary-Anne Leung - London Expand "Hello, I am Mary-Anne Leung. I have been working as a Paediatric Dietitian for many years and have experience in all areas of Paediatric Dietetics. For the last 22 years I have specialised in working with children with neurological problems both in the Community and Hospital settings. Ketogenic funding from The Daisy Garland Charity has enabled us to provide an excellent ketogenic service at the Evelina Childrens Hospital."
Vicki Whiteley - Manchester Expand "Hello, my name is Vicki Whiteley for the last 18 years I have worked in the area of paediatric neurology, where I developed a very keen interest in the ketogenic diet and its application.In January 2012 and thanks to support and funding from The Daisy Garland, I joined the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to focus on developing a much-needed ketogenic service, along-side Royal Manchester's enthusiastic team of consultants and nurses. This is a very exciting opportunity to develop and expand a much-needed service. Our patient group is growing rapidly - some of them have been waiting more than five years for the opportunity to start the ketogenic diet. My aim is to provide as much advice and support as I can, helping families to adapt to the diet and have a positive experience. I look forward to helping more families interested in starting the ketogenic diet. Educating parents/carers and health professionals about the ketogenic diet and the service we offer is a very positive and stimulating part of my job. A big thank you to The Daisy Garland - without your funding this work would not be possible."
Marian Devlin - Derby Expand "Hello, I am Marian Devlin and I work with a supportive team of paediatric dietitians at Royal Derby Hospital in Derby as a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian. We have a children's epilepsy nurse and a great team of paediatric consultants who are all interested in the ketogenic diet too. Ketogenic funding from The Daisy Garland charity has allowed us to set up and develop ketogenic diet therapy within Royal Derby Hospital. Our aim is to offer the ketogenic diet to as many appropriate referrals as possible and to work on tailoring and 'fine-tuning' the diet for our children to achieve improved results. Our grateful thanks to David and Sara and all those who donate to The Daisy Garland charity."
Jane Davison - Nottingham Expand "Hello, my name is Jane Davison, and I have been working in paediatrics for the majority of my career. I have been at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham for over 40 years covering all specialities, with most experience in diabetes, allergy and general medicine. I have been a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian since 2009 and have enjoyed working with all the wonderful families I meet. We are very grateful to The Daisy Garland for their generous funding allowing us to set up a ketogenic service in Nottingham and for their invaluable ongoing support."
Nicol Clayton - Bristol Expand "Hello, my name is Nicol Clayton and I have been a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at Southmead Hospital in Bristol since 2009 and have worked as a Paediatric Dietitian across multiple specialities for the last 20 years. I work alongside Kathy Lord, the Chair of KetoPag, and between us we have treated hundreds of children with the ketogenic diet therapy across the south-west and south Wales. As a community-based service, we work with a wide range of hospitals, consultant neurologists and local dietitians. We see families at home and visit schools and respite carers to provide education on the ketogenic diet. We use a variety of dietary approaches (including Classical, modified ketogenic and the MCT diet) and we ensure that each diet is individually created in conjunction with the family and child, to make the transition as easy as possible. I am thrilled to have been a Daisy dietitian for so long and I am extremely grateful to Sara and David and all at The Daisy Garland for their ongoing support."
Janette Buttle - Glasgow Expand "Hello, I am Janette Buttle and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow. I have been a paediatric dietitian since 1998 and am proud to say that I helped to set up and expand a dedicated ketogenic diet clinic at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. In 2013 my family and I decided to return to Scotland. I was delighted to learn that a Daisy Garland Ketogenic service was to be introduced at Yorkhill, and even more delighted to secure my present position. The post allowed me to get back into an area of dietetics that I thoroughly love and am passionate about. I feel honoured to be a Daisy Garland Dietitian."
Esther Mason - Exeter Expand "Hello, I am Esther Mason! I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Exeter. I have been a dietitian for 9 years and specialised in paediatrics for 7 years. I started my career at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and then joined the dietetic team at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust in 2009. I completed rotations covering stroke, neurology, respiratory, elderly care, cardiology and general medicine including eating disorders. In April 2010 I joined the paediatric dietetic team covering ward work and general clinics. Since December 2011 I have been in post as the paediatric home enteral feeding dietitian.I have completed 2 modules towards a Masters’ degree in Paediatric Dietetics; The Management of Nutrition in Infancy & Childhood, and The Dietetic Management of Inherited Metabolic Disorders. My patients range from babies to young adults and I look forward to developing my skills in ketogenic diet therapy for the treatment of epilepsy alongside my colleague Deana Dumbreck. We are extremely grateful for The Daisy Garland funding - without their support this service would not be available in Exeter."
Deana Dumbreck - Exeter Expand "Hello! I am Deanna Dumbreck and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Exeter. I have worked at the Royal Devon and Exeter since graduating from Plymouth University, specialising in Paediatrics. My main role has been as the home enteral feeding dietitian working with children with epilepsy and a range of complex medical conditions. Thanks to funding from The Daisy Garland we have able to develop our ketogenic service locally helping even more families throughout the south west."
Judy Wadsworth - Oxford Expand "Hello, my name is Judy Wadsworth and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at The John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital in Oxford. I have been a paediatric dietitian since 1982. For the first half of my career I worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital where I first became involved in ketogenic diet therapy for children with difficult to control epilepsy. In those days the diet was far less palatable than it is today, but I saw some very positive outcomes. Thanks to Daisy Garland funding we have been able to expand our service here in Oxford, allowing us to offer the ketogenic diet as a therapy for even more children with complex epilepsy thereby improving their, and their families’, quality of life."
Cheryl Fisher - Edinburgh Expand "Hello, I am Cheryl Fisher and I have been a dietitian since 2004 specialising in paediatrics. I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. Over the years my work has covered many areas including acute inpatients, home enteral tube feeding and diabetes. I have a specialist interest in neurology and have found the ketogenic diet an extremely rewarding area to work in, as I am able to help, support, educate and influence very positive outcomes for children with drug-resistant epilepsy and their families. Thanks to Daisy Garland funding I have had the opportunity to develop and extend our ketogenic service, thereby supporting more families across Lothian and South East Scotland. I am thrilled by this new challenge to raise the profile of such an important diet therapy.”
Emily Robinson - Edinburgh Expand "Hello, I am Emily Robinson and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. I have worked at the RHSC since 2011 covering a range of specialities, including neurology, renal, special schools and home enteral feeding. Working with children with epilepsy allowed me to develop a keen interest in the Ketogenic diet – an area I am very passionate about. Timely funding from The Daisy Garland enabled us to set up a robust ketogenic service in Edinburgh supporting families throughout South East Scotland. I am extremely proud to be a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian and to be able to raise the profile of the ketogenic diet."
Naomi Cox - Nottingham Expand “Hello, I am Naomi Cox! I have been a qualified dietitian since 2007 and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham. Whilst working in paediatrics within the home enteral feeding team in Nottinghamshire, I had the pleasure of looking after a large number of children with complex needs, including epilepsy, so I know first-hand the challenges they face every day. Interest in Ketogenic Diet Therapy has grown and I regularly witness the positive impact the diet can have on the lives of those affected by complex epilepsy. I am very grateful for the opportunity The Daisy Garland charity has given me, allowing me to work within this fascinating area making a difference to the lives of children with drug-resistant epilepsy and their families. The charity’s support and involvement in this area is invaluable.
Alison Craig - Leeds Expand “Hello! I am Alison Craig, I qualified as a dietitian from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh in 2010 and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at Leeds Children's Hospital. I have specialised in paediatrics for the past five years and have covered a range of specialities including cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, respiratory, burn's and home enteral feeding. I am thrilled to be joining the fantastic ketogenic team in Leeds and I'm extremely thankful to The Daisy Garland for funding my position.”
Nina Brierley - Reading Expand “Hello I am Nina Brierley. I have been a paediatric dietitian since 1999, working in paediatric intensive care within the NHS and in the private sector where I have witnessed the many benefits of ketogenic diet. I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading where I work with children with complex needs, and more recently as an acute dietitian. I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to introduce a much-needed ketogenic service to Berkshire where we help children affected by drug-resistant epilepsy and their families. This service would not have been possible without Daisy Garland funding."
Tammy Ives - Reading Expand “Hello I am Tammy Ives. I have been a paediatric dietitian since 2005 and have worked in a range of settings and specialities including research and education. I first came across the ketogenic diet during my time working in London witnessing the difference the diet can make to children and their families and was delighted to be given the opportunity to help set up a much-needed Daisy Garland Ketogenic Service at the John Radcliffe Children’s hospital. In 2018 I transferred to the Royal Berkshire Children’s Hospital offering a keto service to children in Reading. Neither of these services would have been possible without Daisy Garland funding and I am extremely proud to be a Daisy Dietitian.”
Lisa Sheridan - Birmingham Expand "Hello, I am Lisa Sheridan. I have worked as a Dietitian since 2011 and in paediatric dietetics since 2014. During this time I have covered general paediatrics, cardiology and neonatal surgery. I started ketogenic dietetics in 2018, which I really enjoy. I am extremely grateful to The Daisy Garland for funding my role at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital, giving me the opportunity to help children with drug resistant epilepsy reach their full potential."
Emma Gosling - Sheffield Expand "Hello, I am Emma Gosling. I qualified as a dietitian in 2010 and joined the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Nutrition and Dietetic Department in 2014. Prior to my Daisy Garland Ketogenic role, the majority of my paediatric experience has been working within the specialist diabetes and allergy teams. I feel privileged to be a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian, and work in area where dietary modification can significantly impact a child’s development and a family’s quality of life. I enjoy teaching and empowering families to self-manage the diet. I like that ketogenic diet therapy is an evolving area; the number of research publications has significantly increased over recent years. I am particularly passionate about families receiving safe and evidence-based nutritional information whilst raising the profile of this important dietary therapy. Thank you to The Daisy Garland Charity and supporters for funding this post and providing the opportunity to further develop the Sheffield Children's Hospital Ketogenic Diet service."
Marian Devlin - Daisy Garland Keto Nutritionist Expand Marian, a former Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian, brings a wealth of expertise and experience to Daisy's Keto Café, our on-line parent support group. Marian is always on hand to help and encourage, compiling tasty keto recipes, offering enhanced support and guidance for families - old and new - on the ketogenic diet.
Rati Gill - Reading Expand "Hello, I am Rati Gill and I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. I have 15 years experience as a dietitian and have specialised in paediatrics since 2013, covering allergies, metabolic disorders, feeding clinic for restrictive eaters and general inpatient based ward work. I have also worked in the Berkshire community as an enteral feeding dietitian for children with complex needs. I am very grateful to The Daisy Garland for giving me the opportunity to develop the ketogenic service at The Royal Berkshire and I look forward to helping as many families as possible."
Hannah Warn, Daisy Garland Dietetic Support Worker - Bristol Expand "Hello, I am Hannah Warn. I am a Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietetic Support Worker at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children where I work alongside the ketogenic team supporting children and their families through their ketogenic journey. I’m a registered associate nutritionist, a graduate from Bath Spa University. As well as working within the special needs education sector in Bristol Primary schools, I have developed my own practice working one-to-one with clients on nutrition related issues. My interest in the ketogenic diet developed due to having a family member with epilepsy who is on the ketogenic diet. It is amazing to see the benefits diet modification has on quality of life for the entire family. I would like to say a huge thank you to The Daisy Garland for funding my position, making my role within Bristol Children's Hospital possible."
Hannah Queenan - Sheffield Expand "Hello, I am Hannah Queenan and I am delighted to be appointed as Daisy Garland Ketogenic Dietitian at Sheffield Children's Hospital. Following qualification as a dietitian from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh in 2016 I immediately began my career as a paediatric dietitian. In 2017, I joined the dietetic team at Sheffield Children's Hospital as a specialist Home Enteral Tube Feeding Dietitian. In this role, I worked within a range of specialities including neurology, neurodisability, gastroenterology, respiratory and surgery. I am extremely excited to be joining an excellent ketogenic team. I look forward to developing and growing our service, giving more children the opportunity to try ketogenic diet therapy. I am very grateful The Daisy Garland funded my position, which will allow me to guide and support more families through their ketogenic journey. I am so proud to represent a fantastic charity, making a difference to the lives of children with epilepsy and their family."