Why you were interested in joining IMAB-Qi?
When I was invited to join the IMAB‑Qi team, the study was already underway, and I wasn’t sure at first if I was what they were looking for or if my contribution would matter. As a woman from an ethnic minority background, I’m used to seeing research shaped without people like me in the room. Our experiences—especially around health and long‑term medication use—are often overlooked or generalised. But the more I learned about IMAB‑Qi, the more I realised this was a chance to bring those missing perspectives into a space where they could genuinely influence the work.
Being in a PPI team that’s part of a five year study felt unfamiliar and daunting to me at the start. I didn’t come in with years of experience or a deep understanding of research processes.
What I did bring was lived experience—years of taking daily medication, navigating the challenges of adherence, and understanding how complex it can be to stay consistent even when you know it’s important. That personal journey is exactly what this study is trying to understand, and it gave me the confidence to believe I had something meaningful to contribute.
PPI matters to me because it gives people like me a seat at the table—people whose stories don’t always fit neatly into standard research categories. Too often, studies are designed without considering cultural differences, personal barriers, or the emotional realities of managing long‑term conditions. PPI challenges that. It makes space for voices that are usually missing, and it ensures that research reflects the diversity of the communities it aims to serve. For me, being part of this process is not just about sharing my story; it’s about helping to shape research that feels fair, relevant, and grounded in real life.
What drew me to IMAB‑Qi specifically was the team’s openness. Even though I joined after the project had started, I never felt like an afterthought. The team genuinely wanted to hear from me, not just as a token contributor but as someone whose lived experience could strengthen the study. Their willingness to listen and value different viewpoints made me feel that my background—my culture, my challenges, my insights—was not only welcome but essential.
The perspective I bring is shaped by navigating the NHS as a minority woman, by managing daily medication routines, and by understanding how adherence is influenced by more than instructions on a label. I know what it feels like to juggle cultural expectations, personal responsibilities, and the emotional weight of long‑term treatment. I can speak to the practical realities that don’t always show up in clinical data.
The benefit of being part of a PPI team is that it makes research more human. It helps research teams ask better questions, avoid assumptions, and design studies that truly reflect the people they hope to support. It builds trust, strengthens relevance, and ensures that findings don’t just sit on a shelf—they make a difference in real lives.
Being part of IMAB‑Qi has shown me that my voice does matter. And I’m proud to use it.