In these chastened times, I am extremely reluctant and a little embarrassed to ask you for sponsorship for my proposed fund raising for the R.P. Fighting Blindness, the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society, but the need is so real, that any doubts about seeking support are negated by the cause. 

 

The British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society is a registered charity dedicated to finding a treatment or cure for Retinitus Pigmentosa (R.P.).  They also provide information about R.P.

 

As you may know, the cause is particularly close to my family, as both my children, James and Lucy, have R.P.

R.P. is the name given to a group of hereditary diseases of the eye that leads to deterioration of vision and blindness.  Difficulty with night vision and peripheral vision are the first things that are noticed.  Later, reading vision and colour vision are affected.  The age at which symptoms start and the rate at which vision deteriorates is variable, but is generally very slow, with changes occurring over years rather than months.  R.P. affects approximately 1 in 3,000 to 4,000 people. 

There is currently no cure for R.P. or treatment to slow down or stop the condition from gradually worsening over time.

Research over the last few years has accelerated, and is split between identifying the faulty genes and finding a cure.  There is cautious optimism that new treatment may become available over the next decade.  Several different avenues are being investigated that will hopefully result in new therapies for R.P.  These treatment strategies include Gene Therapy, Stem Cell Therapy, Transplantation and Artificial Vision. 

The challenge that has been set is the ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895m, ’s highest mountain.  With others, I will be making the climb on 16th - 27th June of this year .  We will be following the , made famous by last year’s Comic Relief celebrities.  It takes a day or two longer than some routes in the hope that altitude sickness is less significant, but there is always a risk that the mountain will win and that one or more of us will have to turn round.

In the first instance, I have set a fund raising target of £10,000 but £15,000 or even £20,000 would make it all the more worthwhile.

Can I ask you to dig deep and be as generous as possible.  As I said at the beginning, I know times are hard, but every little will help.

A treatment could be very close, and any help you can give will go towards what could be a final push to a cure, or treatment.

Thank you so much,

Andrew

P.S. I would like to acknowledge the very generous offline donations.

Bluefin Insurance Services Limited £500.00

Lyalvale Express Limited £500.00

Roger & Jane Hurley £250.00

Cammia Building Services Limited £150.00

Stuart Dolman of Fleetway £75.00

Property Serve (UK) Limited £300.00

MMR Financial Planning (Midlands) Limited £100.00

Mr D C Crawford £100.00

Electrical Wholesale Limited £100.00

NIcklin LLP £250.00

Stan & Anita £50.00

Mel & Alicia Hartland £50.00

Ann McNally £30.00

Quilter & Co. Limited £2000.00

Mrs D Hadley £5.00

Mrs DM Broughton-Taylor £100.00

Mrs & Mrs Sheaf £10.00

£20.00 cash donation

Ann & Roger Anderson £10.00

Nancy £2.00

Mary Johnson £5.00

Yvonne Bampton £10.00

£15.00 cash donation

Dr M Forrest £150.00

Mythle £5.00

Betty £5.00

Margaret £10.00

Newey & Eyre (Rexel Senate) £100.00

WM. Collis & Son Limited £200.00

Barbara Gleed £5.00

Val Rhead £20.00

L M Goode £100.00

Sandy Broughton-Taylor £50.00

Barbara Ryland £20.00

 

P.P.S. For information on the latest medical research please click the following link;

http://cumc.columbia.edu/news/press_releases/Stem_Cells_Retinitis_Pigmentosa.html

If you are interested to hear some experiences about the adventure that I am about to embark on, then click on the link below;

http://www.neilandpalma.co.uk/