 WELCOME
MESSAGE FROM THE VARDA COMMITTEE
Welcome to the VARDA website. This site has been
designed to raise the profile of VARDA and to keep
members in touch and informed. Whether it achieves
those basic aims is largely up to you the membership
since it is as much your contributions as well our
own editorial input that will determine how useful a
communication tool this becomes.
VARDA’s web site
www.varda.org will be further developed to offer
update information about VARDA and its work with
links to other bodies with related concerns. The
task is one of the most important jobs we face to
secure VARDA’s future.
VARDA is seeking to add to its areas of
expertise. There is scope for members to help in
publicity, web-site maintenance, fund-raising,
individual membership recruitment, corporate
membership recruitment, press relations, research
reviews and political liaison. If any member would
like to assist with any of these or can help in any
other way please let us know. We want to encourage
an active and engaged membership and to expand and
make more efficient our essential areas of
influence.
Your feedback is crucial to the development of
this site.
Thanks.
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WHY VARDA?
 VARDA was formed in 2001,
in response to the publicity following Emma Christoffersen's death, after a
long haul flight from Australia. She was 28. The link between flying and DVT was recognised in
1946. Reliable statistics are not available. With
millions of people flying every year, it is thought that in the UK:
· up to 10 per cent show measurable symptoms of
DVT after flights of more than 4 hours
· 2000 a year require hospital care for DVT and
pulmonary embolism, which is often misdiagnosed.
· more than 1000 a year die of flight-related DVT
ABOUT VARDA
In the growing campaign
for healthy flying VARDA
· offers support to victims of flight -related
DVT
· raises public awareness of the health risks of
flying
· lobbies for airlines to accept responsibility
for protecting passenger health
WHY INTERNATIONAL LAW
MUST CHANGE
Flight-related DVT victims with no predisposing
conditions include people of all ages and those who have
been on short as well as long haul flights. Those with predisposing conditions may include up
to two thirds of the adult population, on the grounds of
age, common physical disorders, diet and medication.
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THE VARDA NETWORK
VARDA members are located in different parts of the
UK. They include more and less able survivors, the
bereaved and affected families, friends and colleagues.
Working independently in their local areas, they share
information and ideas at meetings, on the web and by e-mail.HEALTHY FLYING
Drink and eat regularly in flight, but remember
coffee, tea and alcohol dehydrate and rich food thickens the
blood. Move around in your seat and in the cabin without
disturbing others.
VARDA ACTIVITIES AND
EVENTS
2001-2004 Deaths Campaign; Letter to the Prime
Minister; House of Commons Candlelit Vigil; Memorial Service;
Healthy Flying Exhibits at Heathrow & Birmingham Airports; Fund-raising
opera; Newsletter publication; Petitions to European Parliament and
MEPs & Welsh Assembly; Creation of Scottish VARDA Group 2005 Inaugural AGM [30 April, Room S0.9,
University of Warwick] Fund-raising (seeking sponsorship), seminar
(advocacy campaigns), awareness raising (travel agencies and airports)
VARDA'S EYES & EARS
Many of us travel by air whether for business or
holiday purposes. One way VARDA can receive valuable
feedback on how airlines are currently addressing
the issue of flight related DVT is if members can
obtain copies of in-flight magazines where there is
usually a section on health and safety matters. Many
of these are now beginning to give specific advice
on healthy flying with some giving very specific
information on in-flight DVT preventative measures
that passengers can follow. Listen also to other
forms of on board safety advice given either by
airline attendants, or on video and feed us back
your experiences. |
VARDA MEMBERS
· support victims
· attend business meetings three or four times a
year
· raise funds for public awareness and lobbying
· receive information about events and a periodic
newsletter
· hold occasional workshops
WHAT MEMBERS SAY
My son died aged 32, after a two hour flight from
Manchester to Benidorm. He didn't know he was high risk. VARDA must help
people know they are at risk (Mother 55)
I took precautions, was fit and healthy with no
predisposing conditions, but developed DVTs. VARDA has to lobby to prevent
this (Survivor 56)
I was flying business class. I couldn't believe I
had pulmonary embolism (Woman 36)
My life has been devastated by DVT, since
returning from Australia in 1999 Talking to VARDA has helped me get over the shock
and the anger (Survivor 36)
My wife (65) died next to me in the plane. I knew
nothing about DVT before. VARDA is helping to get the word out (Man 73)
VARDA CONTACTS
Patron: Chris Steele, MD
Chair: Ruth Christoffersen
176 Waltwood Road,
Llanmartin,
Gwent,
NP18 2EY,
jandr176@btopenworld.com
Secretary/Treasurer:
Brenda Wilson
4 Mill Street,
Ashton-in-Makerfield,
Wigan,
WN4
9HP
brenda@dvtnews.fsnet.co.uk
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