Dr Anna Spathis, University Lecturer in Palliative and End of Life Care at the Primary Care Unit, was awarded the University of Cambridge Raymond Horton-Smith Prize for the academic year 2018-19.
The prize is awarded annually by the School of Clinical Medicine for the best thesis presented for a Doctor of Medicine graduate degree during the academical year.
Dr Anna Spathis
Anna’s thesis was titled ‘An investigation into the prevalence, impact and management of cancer-related fatigue in teenage and young adult patients’ and involved a series of studies leading to the co-design of a fatigue intervention for young cancer patients.
Three studies were conducted: a systematic review determined that fatigue is the single most common and distressing symptom experienced by young cancer patients; a multicentre electronic survey revealed the devastating impact of fatigue, and the lack of an effective treatment; and the Fatigue Intervention Co-design Study (FICS) involved working closely with young patients and their parents to co-design an age-appropriate non-pharmacological fatigue intervention.
About Anna Spathis
Further information: Lucy Lloyd, Communications, Primary Care Unit