Patients with a rare ulcerative condition are being treated faster thanks to ‘groundbreaking research’ by a former Sidmouth nurse.
Alexandra Pyle is working towards publishing her work about pyoderma gangrenosum, a condition which causes painful ulcers due to an immunological disorder attacking the skin.
The 58-year-old, who has dyslexia, centred her master’s degree thesis on the condition and the impact it has on people’s lives as she felt there was a gap in knowledge.
The mum of one decided to take up nursing in her forties and graduated from Cardiff University this year with a degree in wound healing and tissue repair.
After recommendation from her paper’s markers, she plans to publish her findings and took the first step by presenting a free paper at Wounds UK conference in Harrogate last week.
Alex, who is deputy unit manager at Cardiff Welsh Institute of Dermatology, said: “Not a lot is known about it and I wanted to know more about it.
“You can make a difference and overcome your own problem [having dyslexia] to make a difference to somebody else and a whole group of people.
“So far I am the first person who has ever research and written a paper about what it is like to live with Pyoderma Gangrenosum and the affects it has on a person.
“Following that we have develop a new strategy treating to condition so we can improve the patient’s experience.
“It was nerve wracking it was one of those things because I want to get this across.
“I want to present something that is new, so you overcome your nerves to say what you want to say.”
Before beginning her degree Alex worked as a district nurse at Sidmouth’s district nursing team, which is where she came across the condition.
Alex said: “The only way to describe it [Pyoderma Gangrenosum] is acid dropping on your skin constantly.
“It is treatable, we have had patients who have had it as long as 16 years and since we have developed the strategy we have a person who has been treated in six weeks.
“The only thing we cannot do with these people is we cannot guarantee them that it cannot come back, but if it does come back we know how to treat it.”
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