Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

As you may know I am always up for a challenge and 2009 is no exception. In January I took part in the UK Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting Bec Lido wearing a ‘Mankini’ that raised not only eyebrows but money for ‘Saving Faces’!

For this reason, I recently accepted an invitation by Graham Ball, the Chief Executive of The New Victoria Medical Foundation, to join a team of nine others to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September 2009 to raise money to expand the work of this medical charity and also Saving Faces.

 

Since agreeing to do this, I’ve learnt a lot more about the work of the New Victoria Medical Foundation which was created in 2007 from the proceeds of the sale of The New Victoria Hospital in Surrey. Graham Ball and his team are now building on this wonderful legacy with charitable aims which are broad, but firmly medical.

The charity’s focus is currently on providing medical support in four key areas; the Foundation’s trustees have identified these as potential gaps in the current provision by The State. This focus ensures that the Foundation can help improve the lives of those in most need.

The Foundation provides life enhancing medical support – from Mobility Aids for Children to Accessible Transport and Medical Treatment, through to Medical Bursaries for young people destined to become the doctors of the future. It is vital that the charity continues to expand its work so that it can not only help the current generation, but future generations too.

On hearing of the achievements of the Foundation, I’ve realised that there are many more people who would very much benefit from the support it provides.

As a Maxillofacial Surgeon, I treat patients who suffer from facial disfigurement as a result of cancer, diseases, injuries and development. In the UK alone 4,700 people develop oral cancer every year and 1,700 people die from this kind of cancer. Around 125,000 young people sustain serious facial injuries and 15,000 people receive treatment for facial disfigurement. Despite the severity of these issues, this remains a much neglected research area leaving thousands of those unfortunate enough to be afflicted with little hope for the future.

The Facial Surgery Research Foundation –Saving Faces, is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to the worldwide reduction of facial injuries and diseases. It is a leading charity in education and research to improve physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and facial diseases.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is my commitment to do something to ensure that both the New Victoria Medical Foundation and The Facial Surgery Research Foundation are able to expand their work which will make an extremely positive change to many more lives.

Thank you for your support.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: The New Victoria Medical Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!