Dr. Beaton and Dr. Okello’s Perspective

Participants of the GOAL trial celebrating at a peer-support event.

Children being screened for the GOAL trial.

In a recent issue of Circulation on the Run, RRCU’s co-Directors Dr. Andrea Beaton and Dr. Emmy Okello shared insight about the nature of their international research partnership and the establishment of the RRCU.  Andrea and Emmy were excited to have the opportunity to share their story with the journal’s readers and podcast listeners, hoping that it encourages more collaborative international research and training programs. In the discussion, the co-Directors acknowledge that RRCU’s formalization in 2018 came only after a decade of friendship, clinical and research collaboration, and the support and involvement of experts and champions in over 30 countries, to whom they are grateful.  In the coming years, Andrea and Emmy look forward to expanding the reach of the RRCU, mentoring more RHD-focused research professionals, and growing their friendship. 

During a podcast interview about the piece, Dr. Beaton and Dr. Okello also spoke about the recent publication of Refining Risk Stratification Among Children with Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease, a sub study of the GOAL Trial.  This study used echocardiography and sociodemographic data to look for associations of different risk factors and the progression or regression of disease.