This was the second regional Information Day of 2009 arranged by Alpha1 Awareness.

The format is to have two expert medical speakers and two from other fields of interest to Alphas (respiratory rehabilitation, genetics, etc). This short format enabled Alphas in the local area to travel to the event and to return home in the same day. The midday meal was provided.

Doctor Thomas Köhnlein from the Medical School in Hanover gave the introductory presentation on the causes and development of genetic emphysema and liver failure. The clarity of his talk was greatly appreciated by the audience of Alphas.  Later in the day Dr Bibek Gooptu, who works for the Wellcome Trust at Birkbeck College gave insights into the work being done to understand and treat the underlying mechanisms of Alpha1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.

Doctor Köhnlein gave helpful advice to young parents whose four-week old daughter had been diagnosed as PiZZ only on the day before the event.

Overall the day was a great success but the numbers were slightly reduced because many people have fears of contracting Swine Flu.