Hazel Wotherspoon – Chair Person
Hazel Wotherspoon is a mum of 4 young adults, 3 of whom have significant disabilities; her daughter Ellen has SMS.
Hazel worked as a physio, mainly paediatrics for 27 years before leaving work to become a full-time carer. She has been involved with the Foundation for many years first as a member and later as a trustee. Hazel strives to increase awareness and understanding of SMS, especially among professionals. Her prime aim is to support families in any way they need.
Emma Riddell – Trustee
Emma is a mother of three children, Harry, Grace (SMS), and Charlie. Emma is currently a full-time Mum and lives with her husband Mark in Birmingham. She is passionate about raising awareness and fundraising for the foundation.
Mick Pearson – Trustee
Mick is the newest trustee to the Foundation and will hopefully bring a fresh incentive and new ideas. He is very proactive within the foundation giving support and life experiences to families new and old.
Mick’s drive is to support families newly diagnosed with Smith-Magenis Syndrome and seeks to connect with them in his unique way.
Mick also supports dads living with Smith-Magenis Syndrome and assists in helping them to connect with each other, he is also keen to promote awareness and fundraising for children and adults with Smith-Magenis Syndrome. His son Riley was born in 2011 and diagnosed in 2014
Jacqui Jenkins – Trustee
Jacqui became a Trustee in 2022 as she felt she wanted to give back to the Smith Magenis Syndrome Foundation UK as we had helped her in her early days. Her son was born in 2020 and she knew he was disabled at birth, however all medical professional dismissed her concerns despite him being my second child. When her son Otis was 5 months old, she reached out to the Foundation and she says it’s the only place she has felt properly supported.
My son still isn’t diagnosed but he presents like SMS – so connecting with those with the lived experience has been life changing. She now supports the Chair Haze as the Secretariate to the Board of Trustees, and she works with the team on ensuring the Foundation monitors and evaluates its work. In her day job she is a programme manage so she uses this expertise to look at the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the Foundation.
She believes if the Foundation packages the lived experience and advocate for children and adults with SMS we can make a positive impact for the next generation.