Dear BSBMTCT member, 

We hope you are keeping well now the nights are drawing in and the months ahead remain straightforward despite the challenges of the Amber alert regarding the NHSBT blood shortage and the ‘twindemic’ threat of influenza and covid across our clinical and patient community. 

Sadly, we start this bulletin with sad news regarding Dr Paul Miller (1978-2022) who passed away earlier this month. We announced this sad news in a separate communication to members last week, which highlighted Paul’s major contributions to the BMT community, Anthony Nolan, and specifically to the BSBMTCT via the Vaccination sub-committee which he chaired before and during the pandemic. We have conveyed our deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this difficult time and we will commemorate his life in future BSBMTCT events. There is a website to Paul’s memory https://paul-miller-1978-2022.muchloved.com/

BSBMTCT is keeping busy with various developments and events, including the Clinical Trials Sub-committee meeting, held during the Anthony Nolan retreat in Birmingham. IMPACT/ACT  announced that they will be opening their new applications for centre status on Monday 31^st October 2022. The BSBMTCT Education Day is tomorrow Tuesday 1st November 2022, as a Hybrid Event at Cavendish Conference Centre, 22 Duchess Mews, London W1G 9DT – if not already, register at: https://collaborativeconferences.co.uk/bsbb-home/ 

Ruxolitinib ‘campaign’ – we continue to lobby with Anthony Nolan and others to restore funded access to Ruxolitinib for graft-versus-host-disease. Please see the BSBMTCT Position Statement on our website on this issue. 

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) survey will circulated soon and provide invaluable information for the future of our Society, as well as meeting various requirements as a professional and charitable organisation. 

Finally, vacancies in the BSBMTCT Executive will be advertised in the next month, including President Elect and Sub-Committee chairs. If you feel that you would like to contribute to BSBMTCT as a formal officer – and can dedicate the necessary time and commitment to deliver responsibilities and serve our BMT and cellular therapy community well – then please consider. Precise details will follow in due course. 

Otherwise please save the dates for the upcoming BSBMTCT events : 

BSBMTCT Scientific Day 2023 Wednesday 17 May 2023, hopefully as an in-person meeting.  

BSBMTCT Scientific showcase for advanced cell therapy subcommittee 2023 with the provisional date Wednesday 21^st June 2023.  

Our very best wishes 

John Snowden, Kim Orchard, Fiona Dignan, Deborah Richardson, Eduardo Olavarria, & Julia Lee