In 2019, DFTB crossed an ocean.

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​After Brisbane and Melbourne, it was time to see what would happen if we took our unique blend of science and story to new soil. So we packed our slides, our curiosity, and a suitcase full of hope, and landed in London.

It was our first — and, as it turns out, our last — DFTB in the UK. But it was unforgettable.

From the very first moments, we knew this conference would be different.
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We didn’t start with a graph or a guideline — we started with poetry.
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​Erin Bolens stepped up to the microphone and offered a welcome that was equal parts heart and humour. She reminded us that medicine is full of stories: of healing, heartbreak, and hope. Her words hung in the air long after the applause ended.
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That opening set the tone for everything that followed.
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• Liz Stokoe took us deep into the hidden mechanics of conversation — how a pause, a question, or even a single word can change the direction of a patient’s journey. It was a talk that made us all listen a little differently.
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• Our international research session brought together PERUKI, PERN, and PREDICT, three networks that share a belief in collaboration over competition. Together, they revealed what’s possible when borders don’t define our curiosity.
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• The conference also saw the results of the ECLIPSE study, an ambitious project that proved our community could not only share ideas but generate evidence that shapes practice.
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And then there were the quieter moments that only happen at DFTB.
I still remember Ross Fisher sitting on stage before his talk, reading Winnie the Pooh to my daughters as the audience filed in. It was tender, unplanned, and entirely DFTB — a reminder that compassion isn’t something we talk about, it’s something we live.
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A little later, I spoke about emotional contagion in the workplace — how moods, mindsets, and moments of stress ripple through teams, and how we can consciously choose to spread calm instead of chaos.

DFTB19 was about connection on every level — between people, between continents, and between disciplines.
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It showed that DFTB had outgrown its roots as a blog or even a conference. It was now a movement — one grounded in curiosity, compassion, and courage.

If you want to relive that moment in time, the full DFTB19 playlist is here. It’s a time capsule of ideas and emotions that still feel fresh and vital today.

And as we look ahead to the next gathering - to DFTB26 in Glasgow - we’re reminded that while locations change, our mission doesn’t.
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👉 Be part of the next chapter. Tickets for Glasgow are already going fast: dftb26.com​

Bring your curiosity. Bring your courage. Bring your story.
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​P.S. DFTB19 proved that DFTB isn’t a place — it’s a community. And in 2026, that community returns to the UK. See you in Glasgow.