City specialist chosen for prestigious lecture

AN annual lecture named after one of the world’s most recognisable figures will be delivered this year by a Swansea Bay specialist.

The Stephen Hawking Foundation MND Lecture aims to make the latest research freely available to improve practice and quality of life for people living with motor neurone disease.

It takes place today and will be presented by Swansea-based consultant in palliative care Idris Baker. Around 1,300 people have already booked to join the lecture, which because of Covid rules is being delivered online.

MND is an uncommon condition that affects the brain and nerves, causing weakness that gets worse over time. There is no cure but there are treatments to help reduce its impact on daily life.

Professor Hawking, a theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author whose works included A Brief History of Time, was diagnosed with a form of MND when he was aged 21. He was given just two years to live but lived for 55 years, eventually dying at 76 in 2018.

The Stephen Hawking Foundation was launched in 2015 to facilitate research into cosmology, astrophysics and fundamental particle physics in school and university. It also supports work relating to MND.

Dr Baker said it was very gratifying to have been invited to deliver the lecture as it was an opportunity to communicate with a large audience.

“Everything I know about MND I’ve learnt from people with MND.

“For the last few years the lectures have mainly been about the high-tech aspects of how we can improve care for people with MND, so it’s quite exciting for the emphasis of the lecture to be on the palliative care.”

The lecture is from 6.15-8.15pm this evening. Information and booking details are at www.rcn. org.uk/news-and-events/events/ uk-annual-stephen-hawkingfoundation-mnd-lecture-171121