The Judith Buckle Award 2023
Awarded to Barrie and Georgina Seaman
The award presentation was delivered by Behçet’s UK Trustee, Rachael Humphreys at the 2023 Conference & AGM held at the Mercure Telford Centre Hotel on Saturday 21 October 2023.
On behalf of Behçet’s UK and all those affected by the condition, I very proudly present the Judith Buckle Award to two remarkable human beings, Barrie and Georgina Seaman.
Barrie and Georgie came across the (then) Behçet’s Syndrome Society in 1985, shortly after Barrie received his diagnosis of Behçet’s. At that time the Society had around 60 members. Barrie and Georgie quickly embedded themselves into the heart of the Society – Georgie becoming a Trustee and the Information Officer, a position she remained in for over 20 years, and Barrie becoming the Honorary Secretary of the Society from 1986-1999, Honorary Treasurer from 1999-2004, and a remained as a Trustee until 2007 (a total of 21 years). Barrie was also a Trustee for the now titled National Voices during the late 1990s.
Together, Barrie and Georgie drove the Society forward, establishing the first Behçet’s Syndrome Society newsletters and having these produced twice a year. Barrie was the Newsletter Editor during his time with the Society and Georgie created all the early leaflets on Behçet’s.
For many years Georgie single-handedly manned the telephone advice line from their home. She would spend hours every day speaking to people, offering her knowledge and advice, and was often the first person you spoke to if you were going through the diagnosis process. I came into contact myself with Georgie in 2003/2004 when I was going through the diagnosis process and I know that there will be many of you in the room, and online, who probably came away feeling a lot less daunted and a lot more informed after speaking to Georgie. I certainly found it incredibly soothing knowing I wasn’t alone in this journey and that knowledge of this condition was out there.
Former Trustee, Richard West says, “Georgie’s help and advice really changed people’s lives” and if it weren’t for her he doesn’t know where he’d be. She had knowledge of all the specialists and insisted that you see someone who knew about Behçet’s, often signposting you and strongly advising (telling) you to seek the specialist support you needed and deserved – getting people that expert care was extremely important. Georgie was later accompanied by Ruth Pearce and Karen Tomlinson on the advice line, continuing to work tirelessly, until finally standing down in 2007, to provide information and support. Georgie even set up the first helpline referral system, referring patients to clinics establishing or set up with a multi-disciplinary team. The advice line is still an invaluable source of information and signposting to this day.
To put the advice line into context, in the September 1997 Newsletter Brigid wrote:
“To all the ladies who helped me when I was very depressed. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Through you I was put in touch with a good Doctor. Through you I realised I wasn’t alone. It is great to have someone listen and try to help. Thank you so much you don’t realise what a lifeline you are to people like me. To Georgina Seaman, Ruth Pearce, and Karen Tomlinson a big and overdue thank you.”
As if manning the helpline wasn’t enough, Georgie set about creating the Society’s website. By 2002 there were over 1,450 members of the Society. She also identified expert speakers for the Society’s AGM & Conference, inviting them to share their expertise with those most in need – the patients.
Barrie and Georgie also added international travel to their credentials within the Society, representing the Society at the International Conferences on Behçet’s Disease in America, France, Tunisia, Italy, Korea (which the Society and Barrie helped to organise), Germany (again which the Society and Barrie helped to organise), Portugal, and Austria. Imagine the Passport stamps they have received!
Georgie also attended the Inaugural Patient’s Conference in Japan – it was at this conference that the date for International Behçet’s Awareness Day of May 20th was set, along with aims to identify the origin of Behçet’s, establish treatments, provide equal access to treatments, and increase understanding. Each International Conference served a purpose – to increase knowledge, and network with those at the forefront of Behçet’s care, and bring that knowledge back to the UK.
Sometimes their travel wasn’t so glamorous. Richard West recounts the Trustees having to hold their Society meetings at Leicester Hospital, as Ruth Pearce the Chair at that time, chaired the meetings in one of the rooms on the ward for the elderly. I’m sure they will remember trekking over to Leicester for a meeting and being caught out by snow; it took several hours for them to get home, keeping everything crossed that they wouldn’t get snowed in.
Barrie always wanted a Specialist Centre, it was his vision to see patients receive that expert care. He started the conversations on having a multi-disciplinary team approach to Behçet’s, a vision which Jan Mather took forward when she became Chair in 2006. This vision came to fruition with the establishment of the three Centres of Excellence in Birmingham, Liverpool and London.
Barrie and Georgie are described as professional, organised, dedicated, enthusiastic, devoted individuals who have helped hundreds and hundreds of people during their time with the Society.
The 2023 Judith Buckle Award goes to Barrie and Georgina Seaman.
Presentation delivered by Behçet’s UK Trustee, Rachael Humphreys