Matt Hughes Patient Advocate & father of a medical cannabis patient

Matt has been campaigning for access to cannabis since the beginning of 2019 when he and his wife joined Hannah Deacon and many other families of End Our Pain. Matt's son Charlie has a rare and severe form of epilepsy and since using cannabis, Charlie has seen an 85% reduction in seizures and a much improved quality of life. During this time and leading to now, Matt has been involved working with the other parents battling through each block to prescribing. Not just the NHS, but via the private sector too. Also researching and better understanding cannabis, Matt has an in- depth knowledge about laws, regulations, and access to this treatment.

Lara Smith Medical cannabis patient and advocate

Lara is a former paediatric staff nurse and previously fenced competitively at an elite level and for GB in her youth. Her mobility and pain management is critical in enabling her to live life as normal as possible, as mum to three teenagers. She has cervical and lumbar spondylosis with symptoms of myelopathy. She underwent major surgery in 2015 and had spinal decompression and a two level disc replacement in her neck. Unfortunately, she continues to experience Lhermitte’s sign, (severe electric shocks into her limbs), upon neck movement. Lara was previously prescribed high dose opiates and other adjunctive medications, which gave her significant adverse side effects. In 2014 she was prescribed medical cannabis. It was far more effective in alleviating her neuropathic pain, so much so that she was able to come off all other medications. Lara gave evidence, as a case study, to the APPG for Drug Policy Reform, as part of their enquiry into medical cannabis and was also asked to speak at the launch of their report in 2016. She has campaigned since 2014 for all patients to be given better access to medical cannabis and has been interviewed on Victoria Derbyshire, The One Show, Radio 5 Live, Radio 4 on the Today programme, as well as interviews for the Times and Telegraph.

Vera Twomey Author, campaigner & mother of a medical cannabis patient

Vera’s campaign to secure medical cannabis for her daughter, Ava, who lives with Dravet Syndrome eventually culminated in her decision to walk from Cork to Dublin in protest to ask health minister Simon Harris for help in person. Vera has spent years campaigning for the introduction of medicinal cannabis to Ireland to help those with illnesses it can help to alleviate. Her campaign for her daughter’s medication received great media attention and garnered support across the country and beyond. She lives in Cork with her family.