Come and meet Winnie and Frank Tovey at The Basingstoke Waterstone’s book launch.
On Thursday 23rd February Waterstone’s, Wesley Walk, Basingstoke, are hosting the Waterstone’s launch of Cor Blimey! Where ‘ave you come from? The event will run from 6-8pm, starting with a short presentation about the authors and their book, followed by the chance to meet them, get your books signed and have a chat.
The event will be held on the first floor of Waterstone’s. You can let me know that you are coming (Jenny@LittleKnollPress.co.uk) or just turn up on the evening and come upstairs. There will be a warm welcome for you along with a glass of wine or fruit juice.
The authors, now both in their 90s, have special connections with Basingstoke. They moved there in 1968 after returning ‘home’ from India. Frank was 46 years old by then and most surgeons of his age had specialised much earlier in their careers. This made it difficult for Frank, with his wide and general surgical experience in India, to find a post in England. Basingstoke provided a wonderful opportunity for him as the town was being developed at that time (it was a ‘London overspill’ town). Doctors and surgeons with wide experience and a track record of hospital administration were needed for the team that would staff the new hospital (now the Maternity Hospital).
Alongside surgery, the work that Frank and Winnie had been doing in India with leprosy patients had a direct impact on the services that were developed at Basingstoke Hospital. People with diabetes have some of the same problems as leprosy patients, with loss of feeling (neuropathy) in their feet (and sometimes in the fingers). This means that an injury to the foot may not be noticed by the patient and it can easily develop into a foot ulcer. Frank was distressed to find that for so many diabetes sufferers this resulted in amputation.
With Winnie’s help Frank set up in Basingstoke the first Diabetic Footcare Clinic in the country. In India Winnie had run a shoe-making service and provided advice at the leprosy clinics on how to look after neuropathic feet and hands. This preventive care meant that patients did not lose toes and feet and could carry on their normal lives and work. Due to the link with leprosy work in Mysore, S India, the same preventive care is now applied for diabetes sufferers in many clinics through Great Britain.
You can listen to Winnie and Frank talking about this and many other topics on BBC Radio 4 Midweek on the 28th December 2011 or by using the following link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b018gqys
Tags: Basingstoke, diabetes, Foot clinics, Waterstone's
