From receiving to giving care – Richard’s story
A junior doctor has come full circle; he is now working in the department that helped care for him as a child.
Richard Barlow is on rotation as a dermatology registrar at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where Professor Celia Moss, his lead consultant for most of his childhood, still works.
Richard, 33, has Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), a genetic condition which disrupts DNA repair and can be life threatening. This increases the chance of skin cancer by 10,000 times and means avoidance of ultraviolet (UV) light, from sunlight or some artificial lighting, is essential. In certain cases, the central nervous system, eyes and ears can be affected as well.
Richard, raised in Stafford, said: “When I was seven years old, I had a red mole on my ear. My mum was always very careful with us and took me to the GP who referred to our local dermatologist in Stoke. There, Dr Hardwicke first suspected the condition. After a year of investigations, I was diagnosed with a genetic condition, XP and referred to the Children’s, so I was under their care since age eight, where I met the then Dr Moss.
“When I came as a patient, I would attend a course in paediatric dermatology to help other doctors study my condition. They would ask me what I wanted to do, and I’d say dermatology doctor, I always had that purpose. You see other doctors and want to be like them.”
Now as an adult, Richard is treated in a specialist clinic in London, once a year, which involves an intensive day of tests and appointments across multiple specialties, now led by Dr Hiva Fassihi. Ultimately, Richard wants to specialise in complex dermatology that focuses on skin conditions associated with psychosocial components as well as specialised skin cancer procedures such as Mohs surgery.
Richard said: “It is particularly special to be working in this team and able to give back and help fellow patients, I still attend the course that I did as a child.
“Professor Moss and her team are the reason I’m now a dermatologist in training, and I’m indebted to them and several others over the past three decades. As a child, I’d see Prof. Moss and her team every six months or so, so you keep in touch and get to know them. Hopefully one day I can inspire some of my patients to follow this path too. Lastly, I should mention I am also very lucky to have the family and friends I do.”
Prof Moss said: “Richard was determined, as a little boy, to be a dermatologist, and it has been lovely to follow his progress over the years and to see him fulfilling his aim. As well as being a first-rate doctor he helps other XP patients through his role as chair of trustees of their national patient support group, Action 4 XP and also fellow health professionals by educating them about living with this rare condition.
“Life with XP is hard: avoiding UV light at all times involves wearing a visor and protective clothing. BWC has been extremely accommodating in adjusting the environment so that he can work safely here.”