Organisation Committee

Coordinator
Sue Braun
Clinical Psychologist, BE

Sue Braun is a clinical psychologist – psychotherapist at the cystic fibrosis clinic in the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB) in Belgium. She was originally trained in family systems theory (IPRR, 2017-2021, Belgium). Recently she started an additional postgraduate study in the psychoanalysis (Ugent, 2022-…). For many years she worked with couples, families and individuals in a hospital context (UZB) and in a private practice. She was a guest speaker on CF related conferences in Belgium and the ECFS (Liverpool 2019, Rotterdam 2022). She was a 2023 jury member of the King Baudouin Foundation – Alphonse and Jean Forton fund (financial support for research into cystic fibrosis and related diseases in Belgium).

Vice Coordinator
Jacqueline Boekhoff,
Social Worker, NL

Jacqueline is social worker and member of the pediatric CF-team and the pediatric Rehabilitation-team at the Emma Kinderziekenhuis, department of the Amsterdam University Hospital. She started working at the CF-team in 2007. 
Together with the pediatric-psychologist and the other CF-team members, she supports and gives counceling to parents of children with CF (at the age of 0-18), and their siblings. The psychosocial counceling is aimed at emotional well-being and also practical help and support. 
Jacqueline is passionate about giving back parents their strength and resilience, in a situation where they can feel sad and powerless. And her focus is family-centered-care. 
Jacqueline has contributed to the writing of the chapter on Psychosocial Care, in the Dutch CF-Quality-Standard.

Committee Member
Stina Järvholm
Clinical Psychologist, SE

Stina works as a psychologist at CF center at Sahlgrenska University hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. In Sweden, there is four CF centers, all working with both adults and children. Stina started at the adult section of the center in 2012 and has since then combine the work at the CF center with her ongoing service at Reproductive Medicine. In 2017 she received her PhD from the Psychology Department at the University of Gothenburg. Her thesis focus on the psychological consequences of undergoing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). PGD is a prenatal diagnosis, which is possible after undergoing IVF-treatment and potential for persons with the CF gene.  Her areas of interest in research is psychological aspects in reproductive medicine as well as screening regarding mental health among persons with CF. She is in several collaborations with the Swedish CF patient association for example setting-up programs for peer support and contributes in patient headed podcasts.

Committee Member
Stephen Jones
Clinical Psychologist, UK

Steve is a Clinical Psychologist who has had the pleasure of working in the Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Service at Sheffield Children’s Hospital over the past 6 years. He and his colleagues support around 150 young people and their families from across the region.  
Steve works with young people and families to understand their current context and to live a life that is as full and enriched as it can be in a way that works for them. Work can take the form of individual work with young people or parents as well as support for the wider staff team. Steve has an affinity for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as well as being an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. His very first job in psychology was as an Assistant Psychologist in the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and he is delighted that his work has come full circle and finds himself back working within a team and with families who give so much vitality to life.

Committee Member
Katie Smith
Social Worker, UK

Katie is the social worker in the Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Service based at Southampton Children’s Hospital (UK). The service offers holistic care to all children with a CF diagnosis under 18 years old, their parents and siblings. Katie set up the Paediatric CF social work service in 2015 and provides a service to the circa 250 children overseen by the centre and it's 9 regional clinics.
Katie works together with families effected by CF to improve outcomes in their lives. This ranges from offering one off advice to building long term relationships to support families where there are more complex social needs. Working closely with her CF psychology colleagues and the wider medical team, Katie feels privileged to have the opportunity to understand the needs of the child’s wider system which promotes a whole family approach to CF care planning.  

Committee Member
Claire Oliver
Social worker, UK

Bio to follow.

Committee Member
Janne Houben
Psychologist, BE