NAPS bids farewell to Gail Chapman
5 Aug 2007
NAPS would like to bid a fond farewell to Gail Chapman, specialist PMS and Menopause nurse and adviser to NAPS who is retiring to Australia in November.
Gail came to England with her father 46 years ago. Her auspicious career began when she qualified as a midwife in 1975, eventually appointed Antenatal clinic Senior Sister at the North Staffs Maternity Hospital. During this time Gail was asked to help Consultant Ian Johnson and Professor of Psychiatry, John Cox, with research into the depression rates in pregnancy. This is where her life changed.After working worked for two years with John Cox and his registrar Declan Murray on a controlled study looking at postnatal depression, in 1991 Gail was introduced to Shaughn O’Brien, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, where she began working on a two year clinical trial into treatment for Postnatal Depression.
This was followed by a period of research projects including one for WHO and Gail eventually became Professor O’Brien’s Research Sister, working with medical staff in studies in PMS and the Menopause. In order to recruit women into the studies, it was necessary to set up a specialist clinic, which highlighted the fact that there was a great need for this kind of provision for women. As a result, a nurse-led specialist clinic was developed, which eventually became a weekly PMS clinic run by Gail.
“I enjoyed working with these women. For some it was enough to tell them that they were not going mad and that they had problem that had a name. My role was to assess the women, discuss what treatments were available and be their advocate when they saw the medical staff, for prescribing of treatment. I found it very rewarding that most women were able to receive effective treatment and were able to "reclaim" their lives, e.g. undertaking degrees, promotion or even as simply being able to hold a job down.”
Gail became involved with NAPS undertaking radio phone-ins and taking part in a TV programme on NAPS behalf. She was tireless in her support for NAPS, attending anything that she could to promote the understanding of this problem. In 1999 she was awarded an MPhil at Keele University for her thesis on Postnatal Depression.
Gail is now very much looking forward to enjoying her retirement in Australia. “I have enjoyed all my working life but the PMS years have possibly been the most interesting. Treatments have moved on and no woman or her family should have to suffer month after month. I wish NAPS all the best for the future. Hopefully someone in government one day will recognise it for the "costs" it causes.”
We wish Gail all the very best for her new life in Austrialia and thank her for all her support and expertise she has devoted to helping women.
