My Fellowship was in 1991, and was focused on acupuncture anaesthesia in China. At the time, I had set up, managed and was clinically active in the first NHS maternity acupuncture service in the UK. This ran for 24 years. I had been asked if I could do acupuncture anaesthesia for caesarean sections, which prompted me to apply for the Fellowship. We received an Integrated Medicine award from HRH The Prince of Wales in 2002.

I have now retired from the NHS, but continue to teach Chinese medicine acupuncture to midwives and doctors nationally and internationally. I also teach obstetrics to acupuncturists and I am involved in an international mentorship group. After leaving the NHS I wanted to contribute to the body of obstetric acupuncture research, and completed an MSc in advanced oriental medicine. My study was on acupuncture for the pregnancy condition hyperemesis gravidarum. In 2020 I voluntarily taught doctors and midwives for an NGO in Cambodia.

The Fellowship gave me the confidence to keep going forward with the work I feel passionate about. My extensive and unusual experience has helped to promote this highly effective treatment for pregnant women – a great privilege.