Ms Larissa Cowpe

Research

My main research interests centre around cancer and the impact cancer has on individuals.  I am currently exploring a PhD proposal and scoping review.

Research interests include:

• Women's health
• Long term conditions

Teaching

I am actively involved in teaching, supervising and supporting undergraduate and postgradute students.

Undergraduate Teaching
I am involved in teaching and assessment across all three levels of the BSc occupational therapy programme and am a module lead.

Postgraduate Teaching

• Member of the module team for pre reg MSc occupational therapy programme
• Co module lead for MSc module HCT150 'understanding cancer care: patient and professional perspectives'.

Roles

• Programme Manager, BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapu - 2023 - present
• Lead for Practice Education for the occupational therapy programmes - 2019-2022
• Chair - Learning in Practice committee, School of Healthcare Sciences 2021-2022
• Undergraduat and Postgraduate Personal Tutor -ongoing
• Undergraduate and postgraduate research supervisor - ongoing

Biography

I obtained my BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy at Cardiff University in 2009 and completed my MSc Professional Practice, Research at University of South Wales in 2015.

After I qualified as an occupational therapist, I worked in a variety of settings including acute medicine, acute surgery, orthopaedics, hand therapy, community resource team and later in a specialist role as a Macmillan occupational therapist.

I became a lecturer at Cardiff University in 2017 and am the Practice Education Lead for the occupational therapy programmes.

I am registered with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists as an external examiner.

Honours and awards

Senior Fellow of Advance HE.

Point of Light - 2015 https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/battling-teenage-cancer/

St David Award - Citizenship Category - 2014 - finalist (runner-up). https://gov.wales/st-david-awards/lara-cowpe

Professional memberships

• Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
• Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section - Major Health Conditions.
• Member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Academic positions

• 2017- present: Lecturer, Cardiff University.

Speaking engagements

Presentations

Cowpe, L and Langford, H. 2021. Adapting to an Ever Changing Reality of Occupational Therapy Placements. Third Occupational Therapy Conference in Ukraine, Online. 21^st – 22^nd October 2021 (oral presentation).

Cowpe, L. 2021. Role of Occupational Therapy in Palliative Care. Major Health Conditions Conference (Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section), Online. 23^rd April 2021 (oral presentation).

Cowpe, L and Woods, J. 2020. The role of occupational therapy in palliative care – enabling meaningful occupation until end of life. Second Occupational Therapy Conference in Ukraine, Online. 27^th – 28^th November 2020 (Oral presentation). 

Cowpe, L and Woods, J. 2019. Shining a light on generalist/ specialist debate in palliative care. Royal College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference 2019, ICC Birmingham, UK. 17^th – 18^th June 2019 (Oral presentation).

Cowpe, L. 2018.  Evaluating occupational therapy practice in oncology and palliative care: challenge or opportunity? World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress 2018, Cape Town Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. 21st - 25th May 2018 (Oral presentation).

Other Activities

Cowpe, L. 2022. The Women’s Health Series. Behind the Health Statistic. Cardiff University: 2022. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/01CPZG8oQVT7mvV31T8EkF?si=84504a7567ed46b1(Podcast series)

Cowpe, L. 2021. Talking to GPs about endometriosis: Lara’s story. Cochrane UK. [Online] Available at: https://www.evidentlycochrane.net/talking-to-gps-about-endometriosis-laras-story/ (Article)

Cowpe, L. 2021. Lara: My Endometriosis (Part 1,2 and 3). Behind the Health Statistic. Cardiff University: April 2021. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7kvmeaSqxvUYDs2I5WMKWy?si=m5MrGEN_R6qmsebRt9wD-w (Podcast series)

Cowpe, L, Murdock, C, Witton, S and Woods, J. 2019 Shining a light on generalist/ specialist debate in palliative care. London: Royal College of Occupational Therapists (Report).

Cowpe, L. 2015. Patient Story. Wales Occupational Therapy Conference 2015, Cardiff. 13^th October 2015 (Poster presentation).

Cowpe, L and Taplin, A. 2014.  The Role of Occupational Therapy in Treating Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer.  Royal College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference 2014, Brighton. June 2014 (Poster presentation).

Cowpe, L. 2010. Developmental Co-ordination Disorder: a personal perspective. PATOSS Bulletin 23(1) pp 35-36. (Article)

Cowpel, L. 2010. Dental Faculty Support for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Surgeons News. 9 (2) pp96-97. (article)

Committees and reviewing

Other academic and professional contributions

• Cardiff Futures 2022-23.
• External Examiner, St George's University of London. 2022 - present.
• External Examiner, UWE. 2021 - present.
• Member RCGP Cymru Wales virtual patient forum. 2022 - present.
• Member Royal College of Surgeons of England patient Forum. 2022 - present.
• Foundation Governor, St Joseph's RC Primary School. 2022 -2023.
• Community Councillor, Dinas Powys Community Council 2022 - Present.
• Volunteer - Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales. 2020-Present.
• Secretary - Royal College of Occupational Therapists Practice Placement Tutor Forum. 2020 - 2022.
• Research and Development, National Exective Committee, Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section - Major Health Conditions. 2017 - 2021
• Chair - Wales Regional Group, Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section - Major Health Conditions 2017-2022
• Co Founder and Chair, Teen Spirit in aid of Teenager Cancer Trust 2012 - present