We are raising £100,000 to help 5 year old Vicky see the world for a little longer.

Imagine being told that you will lose you sight in a few years. Imagine knowing that in a few years you will no longer be able to look into the eyes of your loved ones or be able to see a beautiful sunset over the sea.

How would you feel? What would you do?

This is Vicky’s story…

Vicky is 5 years old and she is going blind. A severe congenital disease called Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is progressively taking away Vicky’s sight. Her vision is already impaired, but in a few years Vicky may have lost the little vision she has completely.

LCA is the primary cause of blindness in children, but it is extremely rare affecting only 2-3 in every 100,000 children. Consequently it is difficult to attract investment from the large pharmaceutical companies to develop a treatment, possibly even a cure.

Imagine knowing that a treatment to slow the progression of the disease is out there. Imagine knowing that a cure might be possible. But also imagine that time is of the essence.

PLEASE DONATE NOW TO SUPPORT RESEARCH INTO FINDING A CURE

We are funding a 3 year research project to test therapies that may potentially slow down the progression of LCA. This project is supported by a partnership between University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital. It is led by Dr Marija Moosajee, a leading Consultant Opthalmologist and researcher. The project was featured on a BBC documentary and heralded as a breakthrough research project (https://www.facebook.com/vickyseyes/videos/1462245930543785/)

We also want to raise vital funds to help support advancements in Gene Therapy. Gene Therapy is considered to be one of the most ambitious frontiers of modern medicine, and we want to make advancements in this field for this disease. In the last year the first gene therapy (for the gene RP65 which also a hereditary eye disease) was approved in the USA and in Europe. The patients treated with this therapy have already reported that they are experiencing improvement in their condition. Sadly this therapy will not benefit Vicky as it treats a different gene to hers (RDH12) Our goal is for gene therapy to be accessible to more children.

For those that have already donated, there will never be enough ways to express our gratitude…

BUT!

We still need your help to be able to continue funding the project for the full 3 year term. Every single penny raised will support the project so that a cure can be researched to help Vicky and kids like her.

Together we CAN make a difference. Together we CAN save Vicky’s sight and that of kids like her.

Please follow Vicky’s ongoing journey via our Facebook page (Through Vicky’s Eyes) and our Instagram account (@VickysEyes)

With all our love and gratitude,

Enrico and Silvia