Congratulations to our nominated ARCS member prize winners!

Claire Gillott Award

Emma Whitney, The Evewell, London 

I have been blown away and left speechless to receive the Claire Gillott prize award from the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists (ARCS) during Fertility 2024.

This is not just any award for me…… I was actually trained by Claire Gillott in the NHS Bart’s assisted conception unit between 2003-until her untimely death from breast cancer in 2007. I helped set up this award in 2008, and it was in honour of a woman who showed me how important it was to make sure the embryologists were centre focus in the patients treatment journey.

Claire was one of the first ICSI practitioners in the U.K. She was tenacious, kind, fair, knowledgeable, authentic and fun. She was an amazing manager and a wonderful friend. She taught me more than just embryology, she taught me to hold onto the passion and the belief in how magical what we do is. She taught me to ‘see’ the patient and not just an ID number with a treatment plan. She showed me that the patient should be at the centre of everything we do, and by doing that, we are always doing the best we can.

To see my name on this award is beyond overwhelming. Defining moments in our careers sometimes pass us by, and it’s only on reflection that we notice them……… But this one has slapped me straight In the face.

I believe that patients deserve to be properly educated and able to advocate for themselves. I also believe the we, as embryologists, deserve to be respected for what we do and are valued as such within our teams.

Embryologists are an integral part of any patients IVF journey and we should have the opportunity to use our expert voice always. The patient has the right to hear it from us. They deserve that. The success of any IVF clinic relies heavily on the talent and mental wellbeing of the embryology team. It needs to be nurtured and looked after. I will continue to uphold and represent this belief and educate on how we can achieve all of this.

Thank you ARCS for this insane honour. I know somewhere Claire is smiling down on us and I know this would have meant a lot to her.

Unsung Hero

Txell Ferrer, Oxford Fertility 

Hi there! My name is Txell and I have been working at TFP Oxford Fertility since 2019 having originally trained in Spain.  I currently live in Oxford with my fiancée, Kosta and my lovely dog, Blue.  More excitingly I am getting married in April so although this was a huge highlight it hopefully won’t be the main one of 2024!

My main interests are in Preimplantation Genetic Testing and Artificial Intelligence and I lecture on the Embryoscope for an MSc.

I was completely shocked to win the Unsung Hero award as I don’t feel I do anything different than anyone else in the lab.  It was lovely to think that my colleagues think I go the extra mile, when I feel that they do the same for me!

I would like to thank all the team at Oxford for helping me every step of the way and allowing me to be my best self!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the ARCS symposium which I understand is the prize I have won!

Rising Star

Ellie Trotter, Beginnings ACU

Hello, I’m Ellie and I am a third year STP trainee at Beginnings Assisted Conception Unit at St Helier Hospital.

My road to the STP was a long one. After applying 3 times, completing a Master’s degree and moving to London, I finally secured my spot and I have not looked back since! Although third year is proving challenging, I am thoroughly enjoying my training experience, both practically and academically; however, this is mostly due to the amazing support I have had from my colleagues here at Beginnings ACU and all the time they spend facilitating my learning and answering all my questions.

I would like to thank the whole team, not just the embryology team, but the clinical, nursing and administration staff who help me with my training more than they know. Working in a close-knit team has provided me with invaluable experience and a broader knowledge of fertility treatment, helping me to understand the patient’s journey and build a good rapport with both patients and staff.

In all honesty, I was completely flabbergasted when I heard I’d won the Rising Star award. I was actually abroad on holiday when I received a message from an old colleague at Fertility 2024 congratulating me; I didn’t even know I’d been nominated. I actually thought she may have got the wrong person! I am incredibly grateful to have been nominated by members of my team, and it is nice to know they feel I add value to the team and my hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

Although I am sad that my time as a trainee here is coming to an end, I am looking forward to the next stages of my career and to see what my future holds.

Congratulations – they have won registration, dinner & accommodation at the ARCS Symposium 2024!