We’re so excited to introduce Madeleine, our new Digital Content Officer, who joined the Beacon team this April.
Get to know one of the newest members of our team and email her at madeleine@rarebeacon.org to say hello.
Welcome to the rare family, Madeleine!
What were you doing before you joined Beacon?
My career started in genomics labs at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Cancer Research UK after completing my degree in Molecular Cell Biology at the University of York.
This was where I further developed my interest in collaborative science research, while contributing to COVID-19 surveillance and cancer research studies.
More recently, after finding a passion for writing through volunteering with Student Minds on their blog, I ventured into a more creative role in the Bestway Retail communications team.
My time there helped me to further grow my digital skills, which I’m so excited to apply to my work at Beacon.
Why did you choose to join the Beacon team?
I am passionate about ensuring individuals’ voices are heard and actioned, so enabling the stories of those with rare diseases to be seen is such a valuable and important role for me. I remember writing an essay for a competition at school on why rare disease research is so important, so my interest goes back a long way!
The role also fits perfectly in my venn diagram of both scientific and creative interests so I’m excited to flex my creative muscles and get stuck in.
What do you want to achieve most at Beacon?
I want to champion the voices of those with rare diseases to make a real difference. I am keen to keep learning and growing creatively within the team, while getting to know more about the rare disease community.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
As a lover of writing, I enjoy penning poetry alongside painting watercolour illustrations to depict my poems. I’ve recently discovered gouache painting which I’m excited to learn.
I’ve also always enjoyed music and how it can transport my mood, playing my guitar at open mics brings me a lot of joy.
What’s your favourite book/film/TV show and why?
My favourite comfort tv show is probably Gilmore Girls, with Miranda being a close second if I need a bit of a laugh. I enjoy a range of genres of books so it’s hard to pin down one favourite, but Matt Haig’s books always resonate with me, and I whipped through ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelynn Hugo’ in a day or two.
I have a bit of a soft spot for period dramas, so Pride and Prejudice is one of my top movies to watch.
And that’s a wrap!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about one of our newest Beaconites Madeleine.
Remember to email her to say hello and join us in welcoming Maddy to the rare family!
