Pat Moody

Pat Moody is a retired medical librarian in Margate, Kent, in the southeast corner of England. Her original degree from the University of London was in German and French, but she gradually migrated to the sciences. Her first library job was at the headquarters of the British Medical Association in London. After earning a postgraduate qualification in library and information studies, she joined the Civil Service, working for the Health and Safety Executive, the occupational health regulatory body. From there she moved to the south coast to become information librarian and tutor to the University School of Pharmacy, where she stayed for 12 years until her enforced medical retirement at age 52.

Ten years later, at the beginning of 2001, Pat was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and opted for a mastectomy, followed by CMF chemotherapy for six months.

"I was very pleased to be asked to join the breastcancer.org Consumer Advisory Board for several reasons," says Pat. "I hope to be able to give the UK view. Also, I am gay and am keen to offer a different slant on things. And, because of my own problems with sarcoidosis, I am keen to investigate how long-term conditions affect, or are affected by, the breast cancer treatment process, as this seems to be a very gray area."