https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/press-releases/new-study-using-physio-and-occupational-therapy-counter-effects-graft-versus-host-disease/

New study using physio- and occupational therapy to counter effects of graft-versus-host disease

11 Jan 2013, 9:39 a.m.

occupational therapy hands

A new study looking at ways to diagnose and mitigate one of the rarer side effects of cancer treatments featured on BBC Woman’s Hour.

Sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) develops in a small number of patients who have had bone marrow transplants (BMTs). These patients can experience chronic side effects such as tightening of the skin and joints, and a gradual loss of mobility in the arms and legs.

Physiotherapist Ellie Haggart and consultant Kanchan Rao were interviewed about their work with occupational therapists at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to help treat children with GVHD.

The study, supported by the Olivia Hodson Cancer Fund, a fund within Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, is investigating ways to diagnose this type of GVHD earlier and use occupational therapy and physiotherapy to help mitigate it.

The BBC Radio 4 programme, which aired on Monday 7 January 2013, featured a recording of a hospital appointment with patient Nicholas, where the movement in his arms and legs was reviewed. During his visit, Nicholas was given a paraffin wax treatment and exercises to soften the skin and tissues surrounding his joints so they could move better.

Nicholas spoke of the effect of GVHD on his day-to-day activities, and how it had affected his ability to take part in school sports.

You can listen to the episode on the BBC Woman’s Hour website.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact Jenny Gimpel in the GOSH-ICH Press Office on 020 7239 3178, email jenny.gimpel@gosh.org.
For genuine and urgent out-of-hours queries call switchboard on 020 7405 9200.

Notes to Editors

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.
With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.
Our charity needs to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research. With your help we provide world class care to our very ill children and their families.