Raise money for more research into KC

[Anne Klepacz]

It's not too late to sign up for this year's fundraising walks organised by the charity Fight For Sight, which funds research into eye conditions. The walks are in London on 19th September and in Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow on 26th September. In each city there is a choice of a 6 mile or 15 mile walk. To register for one of the walks, go to www.fightforsight.org.uk/carrots-charity-nightwalk where you can specify that you'd like any money that you raise to be used for research into KC. Members walking in 2012 and 2013 raised several thousand pounds but we all know that much more research is needed. The Carrots Walks are great fun, with hundreds of people walking to raise money for research into all sorts of eye conditions. So sign up to ensure that KC research gets a slice of the cake! And if you can't walk yourself, you can always support me by donating at www.justgiving.com/Anne-Klepacz1 or by sending a cheque made out to Fight for Sight to the KC Group address.
Anne

[CrippsCorner]

I was looking forward to doing it this year but unfortunately I cannot make it due to work commitments, so I've just donated you £10 Anne, hope it helps. Also thanks for the latest newsletter which was received today.

[Anne Klepacz]

Many thanks, Olly. And the Fight for Sight walks are an annual event, so maybe next year!
Anne

[Anne Klepacz]

Research projects relevant to us that Fight For Sight has funded in recent years include genetic research into KC at both Belfast and Leeds universities, research into ways of improving the quality of donor corneas and research into finding ways of predicting corneal graft rejection. So please help Fight for Sight fund more research into KC in the future by joining one of the walks, or by sponsoring my walk on 19th September.
Thank you!
Anne

[Anne Klepacz]

Well, I'm over half way to my target. But what has really surprised me is that virtually all the money I have raised so far has come from my non-KC friends. Surely KC Group members and forum users have a vested interest in money being available for KC research? There is a great deal of competition for research grants and as you all know, KC tends to get overlooked in comparison to better known eye conditions that affect the elderly population. There are still so many unanswered questions about KC, but unless there are dedicated funds for KC research, there's little hope of greater understanding of the condition or of better treatments being developed. So come on, all you KC-ers, help me to let Fight For Sight say yes to the next researcher who comes along wanting a grant for research that could help all of us!
Anne

[Anne Klepacz]

Well, I've walked the walk! And great fun it was too. Especially inspirational was a whole class of 10 year olds (and some of their younger brothers and sisters) who skipped and danced their way round the 6 mile course in Central London. They had a classmate with Stargardt's disease (a juvenile form of macular degeneration) and were determined to raise lots of money for research into that condition. So along some of the badly lit stretches of the walk (my night vision has never been very good) all I had to do was follow the orange tutus and orange hair ribbons to avoid bumping into the black bollards and other unexpected obstacles that litter London streets!
Many thanks to the couple of KC-ers who have sponsored me since I last posted (you know who you are!) Just need a few more contributions to reach my target of £1000 to go into the KC research kitty. So please help if you can.
Many thanks
Anne

[Anne Klepacz]

Just found the pictures from the walks on the F4S website www.flickr.com/photos/fight-for-sight/s ... 841612416/ where you can see the delightful children who were on my walk. There's even one of me to prove I was there!
Anne

[CrippsCorner]

Well done Anne, looks like a great turn out! I'll try my best to get out there next time