PedalThePeriphery 2026 - Registration is now open!
Mr. Tom Diamond, the eminent surgeon, has taken over the role of President of NIPANC.Mr. Thomas (Tom) Diamond BSc MD FRCS FRCSI is a recently retired Consultant Surgeon who specialised in disorders of the liver, biliary system, and pancreas. He trained in Northern Ireland and France and was involved in the establishment and delivery of the specialist hepatic, pancreatic and biliary (HPB) surgical service in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Diamond continues to be involved in surgical assessment as a specialist HPB examiner in the Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) exit examination.
Lisa is an accredited Leadership Coach specialising in transition and change. She's a Professional Fellow at the Institute of Coaching, Chartered MCIPD and Co-founder of Impact Players.
Having lost her late husband John to pancreatic cancer at the age of 47, she cares deeply about how families are supported and cared for, particularly when there are children involved. She is a co-investigator with the Family Centred Cancer Care team at University of Ulster and writes regularly about grief, loss, caregiving and end of life conversations.
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My name is Gary Carson and I currently serve as Secretary on the NI Pancreatic Cancer (NIPANC) Board. I have one son, Edward, who is married to Anna, and two darling little grand-children, Ella (6) and Ted (3).
I have 46 years’ experience in the NI Civil Service and since 2001 have been working as the Health and Safety Manager in the Driver and Vehicle Agency.
Cathy is a Director-level specialist business consultant with over 25 years’ experience supporting organisations through growth, change and transition. She established her own consultancy in 2015 following a 14-year career with BDO, one of Northern Ireland’s leading professional services firms, where she led the People Solutions and Family Business Team. Earlier in her career, Cathy spent four and a half years in the US working in organisational development with Marriott International.
Cathy brings this experience to her role on the Board of NIPANC alongside a deeply personal connection to the cause. She lost both her best friend and her brother-in-law to pancreatic cancer, which has shaped her strong commitment to raising awareness, improving support and contributing to better outcomes for those affected.
She is also one of the founders of, and driving force behind, PedalThePeriphery and has a strong passion for all things outdoors and adventure. Cathy is proud to support NIPANC, combining professional expertise with lived experience and personal passion to help advance NIPANC's mission.
Professor Mark Taylor is a Consultant HPB Surgeon at BHSCT and Visiting Professor at Ulster University. He trained in Belfast and at the Regional HPB and Transplant Unit in Edinburgh. He is the former President of GBI Hepato-pancreato-biliary Association (GBIHPBA) and the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (PSGBI).
He sits on the Medical Advisory Board of Bowel Cancer UK, He served as the Lead for Education, Training and Research with The Association of Upper GI Surgeons (AUGIS) from 2014-2019. In 2016, he was appointed by the then Stormont Health Minister to an independent expert panel (Bengoa panel) tasked with reconfiguration of Northern Ireland’s Health Service. In 2017 he was appointed to the Department of Health’s Transformation Implementation Group (TIG) and in 2020 to its Regional Management Board.
In 2018 Mark was appointed Director of Professional Affairs (NI) for the RCS of England, a post held for 5 years stepping down at end of tenure in 2023. He is a member of the Department’s Elective Care Management Team & Expert Clinical Panel and recently chaired the 'Review of General Surgery' for DOH. He has published extensively in the field of Hepatobiliary Surgery. His current research interest is in sonodynamic drug delivery therapy in pancreatic cancer (sonotarg). He is passionate about innovation, change and collective leadership within the HSCNI.
In 2025 Professor Taylor was appointed NI first Regional Clinical Director of Elective Care. He is currently the President Elect of The Association of Upper GI surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (AUGIS)
Susan Cooke has over 20 years’ experience in the care home sector, working as a registered nurse and in senior management roles. Her career spans frontline clinical care, leadership and service improvement, giving her a strong, practical understanding of the challenges facing health and social care services.
She currently works in a quality and support role, helping care providers navigate standards, improvement, and compliance during a period of increasing pressure across the sector. Her approach is grounded in compassion, realism and a clear understanding of how policy and system pressures affect people, families and staff every day.
As a trustee, Susan actively supports the charity’s mission to raise awareness, improve outcomes, and provide support for those affected by pancreatic cancer. She also contributes to wider cancer advocacy as a member of the Northern Ireland Cancer Coalition.
Having lost her husband, Colin, to pancreatic cancer, Susan is a committed and passionate advocate for patients and families. Her voice is shaped by both professional expertise and lived experience, driving her determination to improve care, understanding and support for those impacted by this devastating disease.
Scott McCabe is the Managing Director of Oasis Travel, Northern Ireland’s leading independent travel agency and a cherished family-run business.
He first connected with NIPANC after the 2020 diagnosis and passing of his uncle, Gary Corkin, the company’s Financial Director, an event that brought pancreatic cancer devastatingly close to home. This personal tragedy, alongside its profound impact on many in the Oasis community, inspired the team’s dedicated support, including participation in the annual Pedal The Periphery event.
Scott shares this passion with his mother Sandra, aunt Wendy, and colleagues across the business, all committed to advancing NIPANC’s mission of funding vital research, raising awareness, and supporting patients and families affected by pancreatic cancer.
Recently, Scott accepted a board position with NIPANC, to contribute to helping the charity continue it’s meaningful work in changing the future for Pancreatic Cancer patients in Northern Ireland.
With a professional background spanning sales, research, and communications leadership, Gary Kirby brings a strategic and empathetic approach to NIPANC’s digital presence and fundraising work. His commitment to the charity is deeply personal; having lost his partner to pancreatic cancer in 2016, he understands firsthand the vital importance of NIPANC’s mission and the impact it has on families.
Outside of his professional role, Gary is a dedicated musician and plays drums for the band Silent Running. At NIPANC, he combines his communication expertise with lived experience to drive awareness, grow fundraising, and ensure the voices of those affected by pancreatic cancer are heard across Northern Ireland.
Learn more about how you can get involved with NIPANC as a volunteer!
Meet Megan, our dedicated Pancreatic Cancer nurse.