Sister Prue Wilson

The aim of the society is to provide speakers on varied topics of interest to parents, teachers and students. 

First Meeting - 24th April 2008
The inaugural meeting of the new Prue Wilson Society was held at the school on the evening of 24 April.  Dr Tracy Hussell, Professor of Inflammatory Disease at Imperial College London, gave a talk entitled ‘I opened the window and in(flu)enza’. The Headmaster introduced her, describing her meteoric career and also some of her personal attributes, notably patience, as his wife. Tracy Hussell, Professor of Inflammatory Disease, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology has worked for some years on excessive immune responses, such as those experienced during infection, which contribute significantly to death and disability worldwide.

An audience of pupils, parents and staff heard an excellent description of seasonal and epidemic influenza, an explanation of their symptoms, mode of transmission and the causative organisms. Professor Hussell was able to simplify complex information so that all the audience was able to understand about ‘bird flu’, and why it could become such a dangerous disease if a pandemic occurred. She showed us why it is so difficult to develop effective vaccines, and described the important research which her team are undertaking. Her group is one of only two in the world working on the treatment of the overwhelming
inflammatory process that occurs in the lung in response to the virus and accompanying bacteria.

Everyone enjoyed the evening, and we were particularly grateful to Professor Hussell for making sophisticated science so accessible.  She patiently answered all our questions and spoke with a number of us afterwards. If this is to be the standard of the Prue Wilson lectures we have a great deal to look forward to!