Meet The Team

Professor Carvalho has extensive experience in imaging the fetal heart and counselling families ‘at risk of’ or ‘affected with’ fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) at all stages of pregnancy. She pioneered the use of transabdominal fetal echocardiography in the first trimester of pregnancy (Lancet 1988) and is known internationally by her expertise in early scans (13-16 weeks of pregnancy).

Over the years, based on her extensive clinical experience, she has also developed additional interest on prenatal manifestations of inherited cardiac conditions (e.g. arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies and aortopathies) as well as structural heart disease in the fetus.

As chair of ISUOG fetal heart special interest group, she develops international guidelines for screening for CHD during the routine mid-trimester scan (Ultrasound in Obst Gynecol, 2013). She has also contributed to the updated UK cardiac protocol for antenatal screening (NHS FASP, fetal anomaly screening programme, 2015).

We are incredibly privileged and honoured to have her as our Patron.

Peter is the Chairman of The Joshua Lynagh Foundation (JLF) and an Entrepreneur. He brings extensive business experience to the role having spent 40+ years in the Chemical Industry in senior roles including Chief Executive before setting up his own business in 2009.He founded The Academy for Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs – ABLE to enable CEO’s & Business Owners achieve their personal & business potential.

In 2015 his daughter, Sophie, announced that she was pregnant, and he was delighted at the prospect of becoming a grandfather for the first time. Sadly, Joshua was born with a congenital heart condition on Christmas day resulting in him having to undergo two surgeries in early 2016 and nearly losing him on both occasions but he pulled through. Joshua was a fighter with incredible resilience and despite having to take numerous medications several times a day he was always smiling and laughing which was incredibly inspirational in one so young.

Heartbreakingly Joshua passed away on 26th September 2016 and when Peter held him in his arms, he committed to Joshua’s legacy to found the JLF to give other heart babies a longer and happier life.

The JLF attained Charity Commission registration in May 2020 and with an excellent Trustee Board he is committed to the long-term success of the JLF to EMPOWER, EDUCATE and build AWARENESS of Congenital Heart Disease.

Sophie is the joint founder of The Joshua Lynagh Foundation.  She is the mother to Joshua, who was born with a severe heart condition, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), who sadly passed away aged 9months.  She has since had another son, Harrison, who also has a heart condition, severe aortic stenosis and a little girl, Millie.

Following Joshua’s death, Sophie and her father, Peter, wanted to create a legacy for Joshua and right wrongs – helping to bridge gaps and improve services and care for the lives of other CHD children.

Sophie has been a long-term staying parent in hospital and has watched her children undergo many open-heart surgeries along with diagnostic procedures.

She has a passion and determination to help others and to ensure we learn from past experiences.

Dr. Sylvia Krupickova, PhD. is a paediatric cardiologist consultant at the world-renowned Royal Brompton Hospital in London. Her special interest is cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. She is leading and developing paediatric cardiovascular magnetic resonance service from the clinical, research and teaching perspective.

Sylvia has been striving to continuously improve medical care for children with congenital heart diseases by actively pursuing clinical research. She has published numerous outcome and imaging studies in internationally recognised journals.

Beside her clinical and research work, Sylvia has a passion for teaching. She is a member of faculty for international morphology, cardiovascular magnetic resonance, and echocardiography courses at Imperial College London.

Sylvia feels very honoured being medical trustee of the JLF and has very fond memories about Joshua.

Alpa is a Trustee of the Joshua Lynagh Foundation.  When Peter told Alpa about his grandson Joshua’s heart condition and then when he passed away.  She was moved beyond belief.  Alpa could not bear the thought of a parent having to live through the trauma of losing a child or a grandparent having to comfort their own child and manage that grief.

Alpa feels so lucky to have her son.  Seeing him healthy and grownup is a blessing.  Listening to both Peter and Sophie share their stories about Joshua and seeing his smiling face on so many pictures that Alpa feels privileged to have seen, she is thankful for her son and that he has never had to experience anything like this.

Sadly, there are many, many parents who continue to go through this, from discovering the heart defect from a scan, to making agonising decisions to save their baby’s life.  Alpa feels she cannot begin to understand how they must be feeling and how they cope with the day-to-day pressures having an ill child must cause.

When Peter told Alpa that he was setting up the charity, he asked Alpa if she would be a trustee.  Alpa knew without a doubt that she had to get involved.  As a trustee she hopes that through the money The JLF raises it will help more families and the medical staff in different hospitals to save more babies and help to bring them home and avoid the pain of losing a child.

Alpa is a Hampshire based businesswoman.  She sits on various company boards as a Non-Executive Director.  Alpa hopes to bring her skills to The JLF with her commercial knowledge and business growth experience that she has gained in the private sector to help the Charity to raise funds and make a difference.

Alistair became firm friends with Joshua’s grandad, Peter Lynagh, during the course of his work as a business and personal transformation coach. So when Peter asked Alistair if he wanted to become a trustee of his late grandson’s charity, it was a very natural and easy ‘Yes’! …

12 years ago, Alistair’s son spent 11 days of his life in intensive care shortly after his birth. During this time, Alistair witnessed the dedication of the hospital staff to save newborn lives and the difficulties encountered by parents. Alistair also witnessed the tragedy of loss and the joy of a child overcoming challenging health conditions.

Alistair’s focus as a trustee and treasurer is to help The Joshua Lynagh Foundation to grow.

Alistair will be utilising his years of experience in helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs to take young and start-up businesses to become national brands both in the USA and the UK. By helping to bridge the gaps between parents, local hospitals, and congenital heart specialists, Alistair believes that JLF can make a huge difference to improved life outcomes for babies with CHD. The sky’s the limit!