Graeme Le Saux to launch Health Worldwide: The fund raising initiative of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
25 February 2004PRESS CONFERENCE & PHOTOCALL There will be a press conference at 3:15pm today, hosted by the Dean,
Andy Haines, with Graeme Le Saux at the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E, 7HT. For further information
about the event please contact Anne Gilding on 07733 260935/a.gilding@totalise.co.uk Graeme is the Special Representative of Health Worldwide which is seeking to raise £8 million over the next two years. Like many academic institutions around the world the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (part of the University of London) now needs to look to corporate and individual philanthropic donors in order to expand its work at the forefront of research and postgraduate education in public health and tropical medicine. Graeme comments: 'I am delighted to be involved with the School in this fundraising capacity. I believe this work has huge potential to make a real difference to the health of disadvantaged people around the world through advances in our understanding of factors which are essential for good health such as nutrition and physical activity. The School's activities are leading to improved prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, TB, HIV and malaria, as well as more effective ways of dealing with the impacts of violence on health. 'I recognise that this fundraising target is a challenging one for a UK academic institution, but I hope that with donations from major companies and help from individuals we can set up a substantial scholarship fund and finance new research departments'. Andy Haines, Dean of the School, comments: 'We are thrilled that Graeme will be involved in this fundraising. He is particularly interested in public health issues and the work at the School and he is undoubtedly a huge asset to us in helping to achieve our fundraising targets'. Through Health Worldwide the School hopes to create a substantial scholarship fund which will help students meet the major financial commitment of studying at the School, particularly those students directly involved in improving health in low income countries whose further specialist training at the School will make a real difference - both to their future and that of many others. Students from post-conflict countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, former Yugoslavia, East Timor and the war-torn African countries will be prioritised. Part of the Scholarship Fund will also be allocated to helping students gain access to the School's Distance Learning courses. These cost considerably less than the London-based degrees but such costs are still prohibitive for students from low income countries. In addition, it is hoped that a number of Professorial Chairs and other research positions will be funded through Health Worldwide. The priority areas for the School include malaria, obesity and diabetes in developing countries, vaccinology and the relationship between public health and violence. Ends. NOTES TO EDITORS PRESS PHOTOS Graeme Le Saux Graeme Le Saux became the first Channel Islander to be capped for England in March 1994. After joining Chelsea direct from Jersey, his career flourished under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish at Blackburn Rovers, winning the Premiership title in 1994-95. He transferred back to Chelsea in 1997 for a record fee of £5.5m. His thoughtful manner and views on the modern game, combined with international status, makes him extremely popular with all forms of football media. He now works regularly as a summariser for BBC, ITV, SKY and Channel 5 as well as contributing greatly to Southampton, his club. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine The London School of Tropical Medicine, now part of the University of London, was founded in 1899 by Sir Patrick Manson. It was originally based on a hospital ship, the HMS Dreadnought, at the Albert Dock and then at a branch of the Seaman's Hospital at Greenwich. An institute of state medicine to be called the School of Hygiene was recommended in 1921, and the united London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine was established in 1924. At that time, the term 'hygiene' was not restricted to its present meaning of 'cleanliness' or 'sanitary science', but was used in the wider sense of the establishment and maintenance of health - now more usually described as public health. Only 19 students formed the first intake in October 1899. In October 2003 there were nearly 900 students in London and 1,200 on Distance Learning courses. The School is a renowned research-led postgraduate medical school with
a unique mission: to contribute to the improvement of health worldwide
through the pursuit of excellence in research, postgraduate teaching,
advanced training and consultancy in international public health and
tropical medicine. It has an outstanding international reputation for
its postgraduate taught courses and research degrees training.
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Today Graeme Le Saux, the Southampton footballer and former England
international player, will launch Health Worldwide on behalf of The
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine ('the School').