Touching Lives - November 2005

They know that donations made in memory of a loved one will fund more vital medical research. Research that could help many more people enjoy a healthier future.

We understand that these gifts in memory are incredibly special to everyone concerned. We are honoured that families and friends choose to support us in such an important and personal way, and we know that in many cases, people like to continue giving or fundraising in that person’s name.

Cerebral palsy affects around 1 in every 500 children, about 90% of whom develop foot deformities that can affect walking, and may even require surgery.

^The anatomy of the human foot is amazingly complex and our understanding of how it works, particularly during walking, is limited.^ Because of this, the treatment of foot deformity in cerebral palsy has been mainly by trial and error.

The day was a real success, attracting celebrities including ex-footballers Ian Wright, Mark Bright and David Seaman, along with over 100 of Avanti’s customers.

Avanti have now agreed to run their next two major annual golf days for Action Medical Research and have set a fundraising target of £50,000.

John Birkens, Operations Director, said, “We have over £37,000 to raise from the next two events, but we are planning next year’s golf day already, and feel confident of hitting our target.”

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the areas of the brain that control movement, and in the UK one baby in every 500 is born with the condition. In bilateral cerebral palsy both sides of the body are affected, and these children are at particular risk of developing hip problems, including dislocation, which can lead to pain, limited movement and may require surgery.

‘Stand Up for Tiny Lives’ is a ‘one night only’ stand-up comedy extravaganza that will really put our Touching Tiny Lives Campaign on the map. It promises to be a fantastic evening, with top names from the world of comedy putting their full celebrity weight behind Touching Tiny Lives as they indulge in some rib-tickling fun.

With funding of more than £128,000 from Action Medical Research, researchers have been looking at improving nerve regeneration in order to reduce the amount of time that a muscle is without nerve support. In a collaboration between researchers at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London and the University of Manchester, the effects of applying growth factors (small proteins that promote survival and regeneration of nerve cells) within artificial nerve grafts were tested.

Artificial bones that grow!

Until recently, doctors treating patients with bone cancer only had one option — to amputate the affected limb. Despite the significant physical and psychological implications for the patient, amputation was the only way to stop the cancer spreading.

Eventually, metal implants were developed to replace the cancerous bone and save the limb. For adults this was an ideal solution, but for children, whose bones are still growing, the implants solved only half the problem.

The kidney - the body’s housekeeper

Research Training Fellow, Sally Johnson LINK, is working on a rare but serious kidney disease which damages the lining of the thousands of tiny blood vessels.This interferes with the ‘filtering’ action of the kidneys.

What the kidneys actually do is much more complicated than filtering, like in a coffee machine where the volume of liquid going into the filter is much the same as that coming out. The kidney has a much more complex job.

What made you decide on this particular career?

As a child, I recall being fascinated by the natural world around me and constantly wondering at the complexity of living things. Science became a passion at school and it seemed to be a natural transition for me to follow a research career.

“I remember being lifted onto a stretcher and along the deck. All I could see were faces looking down, the black sky behind, and the blazing lights of the dock.”

This is John Prestwich’s last memory of life before polio. It was his seventeenth birthday and he’d been working as a deckhand in the merchant navy. His vessel was docked in Corpus Christi, Texas, the last stop before returning home to England for Christmas. One afternoon, having felt increasingly unwell for several days, John retired to his bunk — he never got up again.

Guests gathered to meet His Royal Highness and hear about the work of Action Medical Research and the fantastic research we fund. Speaking at the start of the meal, His Royal Highness said “During my long association with Action Medical Research, I have been deeply impressed by the high level of support it has been able to give to a wide spectrum of medical research. The results have touched the lives of any number of young and adult sufferers of various diseases and disabilities, but there are still many problems to be solved. The charity is as valuable as ever.”

What is arthritis?

The word arthritis means simply ‘inflammation of the joints’. It is estimated to affect over nine million people in the UK, and can strike at any age.There are over 200 different kinds of arthritis and it is the greatest cause of disability in the UK.

Our aim is to find answers to premature birth, pre-eclampsia and other life-threatening pregnancy complications, and to develop better treatments for babies who are born with problems and need special care.

You will have read about some Campaign developments in recent editions of Touching Lives magazine, but this is a good opportunity to review our progress one year in.

Like the professionals, team Action Medical Research must conquer tough climbs, make daring descents and speed through sleepy French villages — although unscheduled café stops and celebratory beers are more ‘Tour de Action Medical Research’ than Tour de France!

The apparent distance between amazing, ‘out of this world’ medicine — as practised on board the Starship Enterprise — and real world science is gradually getting smaller. Advances in computer technology have taken long-established medical procedures, such as X-rays, forward into the 21st century, allowing us a new perspective and clearer insight into the human body and the conditions that affect it.