Lindsay Birrell | Co-CEO
Realise Advocacy

Lindsay has a 20 year career as CEO in the charity sector, developing several small grassroots charities into more developed established organisations. It was her role as CEO of Metabolic Support UK that captured her attention for rare diseases. After serving at MSUK for 6 years she went on to roles as Chair of trustees for Medics for Rare Diseases, Patient and Public Voice Member of the Rare Disease Advisory Group at NHS England as well as starting her own organisation called Realise Advocacy with friend and colleague Josie Godfrey.  Realise Advocacy offers both strategic and pratical solutions to researchers and pharmaceutical companies with their patient engagement plans. Realise Advocacy is passionate about supporting patient advocacy groups to engage with research and drug development specifically including health technonlogy assessment. In her time working in this field Lindsay has become a strong advocate for the needs of patient advocacy groups and raising awareness on the ways in which institutions can better engage with these vital groups.