Professor Helen Cross elected President of the International League Against Epilepsy

Professor Helen Cross, honorary consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and Head of the Developmental Neurosciences Programme at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), has been elected President of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) for the 2021-2025 term.

Professor Cross has been elected to the ILAE management committee for seven years, most recently as its Treasurer. This latest appointment will see her become the first woman and only the second paediatric specialist to hold the post, after receiving more than three quarters of the vote worldwide. 

Speaking of the appointment, Professor Cross, who is also the Prince of Wales’ Chair of Childhood Epilepsy said:

It’s such an honour and achievement, but also a huge opportunity to take forward a number of initiatives, including making educational materials more accessible to countries where epilepsy resources are limited. Telemedicine is another area we’re exploring more, and it’s come into the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s about collaboration and making sure information is shared with professionals around the world.

My work with patients and families at GOSH in epilepsy research and service development has been a main motivation for taking on this role, and my mission will be to share best practices but also raise awareness locally of resources from elsewhere with the potential to transform care.

Founded in 1909, the ILAE is an organisation for healthcare professional and scientists involved in the care of people with epilepsy across the globe. Boasting more than 120 national chapters, it seeks to promote research, education and training to improve the standard of care for people with epilepsy, so that no person’s life is limited by the condition.