Workshop Presenter Profiles - Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Association

Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association, known as IA, is a registered charity supporting people living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, their families, friends and carers.

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Uchu Meade, MRPharmS (Consultant)Consultant Pharmacist

St Mark's Pouch TeamSpecialist Pouch Nursing Team

Sophie MedlinConsultant Dietitian

Shelagh BickertonLead Nurse for Acute Kidney Injury

Carrie HelmanPsychotherapist

Aileen MacArthurPsychotherapist

Maggie ButlerInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Michelle BennettInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Keiryn MoffitInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Linda RidleyInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Julia SpanswickInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Wendy WattInternal Pouch Sub Committee

Uchu Meade, MRPharmS (Consultant)

Consultant Pharmacist

Uchu Meade began her pharmacy career in 2006 as a hospital trainee and has remained in hospital practice since qualifying as a pharmacist in 2007. She initially gained broad experience in pharmaceutical management across various diseases. Uchu specialised in Gastroenterology at the Royal London Hospital, and in 2016, she became the manager of the pharmacy service at St Mark’s Hospital, The National Bowel Hospital. Under her leadership, the pharmacy service expanded significantly, with specialist teams in areas like Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Homecare, Hepatology, and Colorectal Surgery.
Since 2020, Uchu has dedicated her clinical practice to Intestinal Rehabilitation and Nutrition, becoming an active and recognised member in this field both nationally and internationally. She has spoken at numerous conferences, published extensively, and focused on areas including oral drug absorption, parenteral nutrition, and the use of artificial intelligence in intestinal failure. Between 2013 and 2020, Uchu was a member of the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association’s hepatology and gastroenterology group, contributing to new drug appraisals for NICE. She also served on the British Pharmaceutical Nutrition Group from 2019 to 2023, leading educational electronic initiatives.

Additionally, Uchu has been an honorary lecturer at Hertfordshire University in the Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical, and Biological Sciences since 2016. In April 2023, she achieved a significant milestone in her career by becoming the first consultant level pharmacist at St Mark’s Hospital, marking only the third consultant level pharmacist post within the Trust. This appointment underscores her extensive contributions and expertise in her field

St Mark's Pouch Team

Specialist Pouch Nursing Team

Introducing our dedicated Pouch team: Azam Shamsi, Lisa Allison, Samantha Evans (left to right)

Sam Evans began as a Pouch Nurse Specialist in 2014. After roles in robotic colorectal surgery and enhanced recovery, she became the Nurse Consultant in May 2025, bringing exceptional surgical and patient care skills.

Lisa Alison, with a wealth of pouch care knowledge since 2010, returned to St Mark’s in January 2025 to continue her passion with pouch care after working as an IBD Nurse Specialist for 4 years.

Azam Shamsi, part of St Mark’s since 2002, has grown from ward nurse to expert stoma and fistula care nurse, now expanding her expertise to pouch care with a strong focus on patient support.

Together, our team is committed to developing the service by introducing regular pouch nurse-led clinics and continuing the pouch advice line. As the refresh of the service is still in its early stages, Azam has a focus on direct patient care within the ward setting, whilst Sam also leads and manages the pouch and stoma care team. Lisa, our full-time pouch nurse, plays a central role in driving the vision; the goal is to work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team to continually improve pouch care and provide the best support for our patients.

Pouch advice: 0208 453 2099 [email protected]

Sophie Medlin

Consultant Dietitian

Sophie Medlin is a Consultant Dietitian, with expertise in gastrointestinal and colorectal health. She worked in acute hospitals specialising in gastrointestinal diseases before moving into academia, where she worked as a lecturer at King’s College London.
She has specialist knowledge and skills in the management of medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colorectal dysfunction, diverticular disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome. She also works as a consultant in product development for the manufacture of vitamins and probiotics, and runs her own dietetic consultancy, City Dieticians, working with 8 other dieticians.

Shelagh Bickerton

Lead Nurse for Acute Kidney Injury

Shelagh is a veteran nurse of 30 years, most of which she has spent working in the citical care arena, both as an Intensive Care Sister and Critical Care Outreach Sister. She has also dabbled in education and research work and completed a post-graduate research internship at the University of Birmingham. She then moved on to working as a Colorectal Nurse Specialist, caring for patients with bowel conditions, before moving onto her current role. She has been the lead nurse for the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Team at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for over five years, developing a service which has gained national recognition, with her work being presented on both the national and international stage. She has presented widely on AKI-related subjects and has published in several peer-reviewed journals. She is Chair of the Association of Nephrology Nurses AKI special-interest group and provides peer support and education to other AKI services across the UK. Her project work on reducing AKI in patients with ileostomies was shortlisted for the Nursing Times Awards, 2025.

Carrie Helman

Psychotherapist

With a focus on the emotional reality of living with an ileostomy or internal pouch, Carrie works as a General & Ostomy Psychotherapist to help individuals feel like themselves again after life-changing surgery. She brings a collaborative and creative energy to her sessions, using interactive, hands-on activities rather than standard presentations to help people process their experiences. Carrie’s goal is to provide a space for genuine connection, offering attendees practical psychological tools to navigate anxiety, body image and the long-term journey of acceptance with empathy, warmth and a genuine understanding (being an ostomate herself).

Aileen MacArthur

Psychotherapist

Navigating life’s biggest challenges often requires more than just clinical tools; it requires a witness who truly understands the weight of change. My path to becoming a psychotherapist was deeply shaped by my experience as a daughter to a late mother who was an ostomate. I saw firsthand the profound effect surgery had on her emotional well-being, her self-image, and her relationships with those around her.
I carry those lessons into every session. I help my clients manage the complex waves of anxiety, grief, and emotional upheaval that come with adapting to a “new normal.” By gently noticing patterns in your behaviours and thought processes, we work together to dismantle the barriers to your healing.
I believe the most powerful tool in therapy is the therapeutic relationship itself. In our work —I hope we can find together a space rooted in deep empathy. My goal is to walk alongside you, helping you cultivate the self-compassion needed to reclaim your relationship with yourself.

Maggie Butler

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Maggie was unexpectedly diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2012. Such was the severity of her condition, she had emergency surgery for an end ileostomy. She then went on to have pouch surgery and repair hernias. Alongside her role as an internal pouch subcommittee member, Maggie is also a member of the Birmingham IA committee.

Michelle Bennett

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

My journey began in March 2008 when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis after a relatively short period of illness. I was prescribed long-term daily medication which settled things down quite nicely. I was then able to live my life as normal, going to work, enjoying holidays and generally doing what I wanted. However, in January 2013 things took a drastic turn resulting in emergency admission to hospital.
Long story short, after a number of IV medications it seemed the only option would be surgery. My consultant talked things through with me and even discussed me having a J-Pouch. The initial surgery was a sub-total colectomy and temporary ileostomy. The following February (2014) I had J-Pouch surgery at the Spire, then 3 months later I had ‘take-down’ surgery, everything went to plan and I was home in 5 days.

Keiryn Moffit

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Keiryn had UC but was unable to tolerate the medication being prescribed, therefore his medical team sought a surgical solution. His surgery was conducted in three stages; sub-total colectomy; j-pouch & loop stoma formation and finally stoma closure. These were conducted over a two-year period (2007-2009).
He is a Chartered Engineer in the Nuclear Industry, and a serving member in the Maritime Reserves. During his illness he was serving as a Regular in the Royal Navy as an Aircraft Engineer. He volunteers as a member of IA’s internal pouch subcommittee, something he is very passionate about because it enables peer support, engagement and collaboration across the whole IA community.

Linda Ridley

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in my early 20s. Had regular medication and occasional steroids for 10 years but then the medication wasn’t enough, so I had emergency surgery resulting in an end ileostomy. I had never heard of an internal pouch but accepted an appointment with Professor Nicholls at St Marks Hospital and was offered the surgery for a w-pouch in 1996 and started using it in June the following year

It has its ups and downs, but I have no regrets, and I now like to help others contemplating having a pouch. I have completed the One2One Support training and I’m a member of the internal pouch subcommittee.

Julia Spanswick

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

I had Ulcerative Colitis diagnosed at the age of 26, after medication stopped working I had my colon removed at the age of 29. I then got married and a year later had my J pouch formed, and 3 months later I had my loop stoma sealed and I was up and running. Two years later I had our daughter and then our son 30 months after that, both by caesarean section.

Wendy Watt

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Wendy has a Kock pouch, as a result of various surgeries including a loop ileostomy and j-pouch as a result of angio dysplasia of the colon, which is a degenerative vascular malformation of the gastrointestinal tract. During the time of her surgeries, she and her husband dealt with this unsupported and later found IA. Wendy is now an IA One2One Support volunteer and is also a member of IA’s internal pouch subcommittee as she wishes to help others cope and not feel alone.

Workshop Presenter Profiles - Information Day 2026

Uchu Meade, MRPharmS (Consultant)

Consultant Pharmacist

St Mark's Pouch Team

Specialist Pouch Nursing Team

Sophie Medlin

Consultant Dietitian

Shelagh Bickerton

Lead Nurse for Acute Kidney Injury

Carrie Helman

Psychotherapist

Aileen MacArthur

Psychotherapist

Maggie Butler

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Michelle Bennett

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Keiryn Moffit

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Linda Ridley

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Julia Spanswick

Internal Pouch Sub Committee

Wendy Watt

Internal Pouch Sub Committee