Sling The Mesh campaign against implants marks ten years

‘Sling The Mesh’ began in 2015 when Kath Sansom, a former reporter for The Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard newspapers in Cambridgeshire, began campaigning for patient safety and medical justice.

"Over the decade, the group has expanded to support both women and men harmed by all types of surgical mesh, including bladder slings, rectopexy mesh, hernia mesh, breast reconstruction mesh, and shoulder mesh," she explained.

"These devices have been linked to chronic pain, mobility issues, nerve damage, sexual dysfunction, autoimmune responses, and other life-altering consequences."

Sling The Mesh founder Kath Sansom (Image: Kath Sansom) The campaign's efforts have significantly impacted medical policy.

It played a role in the Cumberlege First Do No Harm Review, which led to the ban on vaginal prolapse mesh and the suspension of vaginal mesh slings in the UK.

The Sling The Mesh movement has also been credited with raising awareness about the realities of mesh injuries, forcing the medical community and media to centre patient voices in the conversation.

The network has provided support to hundreds of mesh-injured individuals, helping them find strength and solidarity.

The campaign is now looking to the future, aiming to continue its fight for justice, transparency, and support for those affected by mesh implants.

It plans to demand proper aftercare and support for all mesh-injured patients, push for accountability from manufacturers and regulators, and campaign for awareness around hernia and other less-recognised mesh complications.

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The group also intends to advocate for safer alternatives and patient-centred decision-making, empower the next generation of campaigners, and push for tougher regulations and oversight of medical devices.

It will lobby for sunshine legislation to ensure transparency around funding from industry to the healthcare sector, which can bias prescribing and affect research integrity.

The campaign remains a grassroots movement, built on truth, trust, and tenacity, and vows to continue its fight for justice.