Would you like the opportunity to make a difference this Christmas and take part in our Christmas Fundraising Appeal?
In the UK, approximately 1 in every 7 people are affected by some form of long term respiratory illness, and over 1 in 4 will die. Almost 9,500 people die each year in London alone due to poor air quality. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a disease with a poorer prognosis than almost all cancers and for which there is no cure apart from transplantation. It is a disease where the respiratory system is irreversibly scarred, and breathing becomes harder and harder. Mean life expectancy is 3 to 5 years post-diagnosis.
Christmas is an exciting time for most families, but it is impossible to enjoy when a family member is struggling for breath and can’t join in the fun. This year, we have an exciting project that we would really love you to help us fund, and what better Christmas present could it be to simply help someone to breathe.
The money raised will fund our anticoagulation project for pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with PF are known to suffer more from blood clots in the legs and in the lungs which can prove fatal. We will investigate in a small group of patients whether simple treatment with blood thinners is safe in patients with pulmonary fibrosis and improves their lung function. This project has been fully approved by our local and regional ethical committee and takes use of our unique imaging programme using novel imaging in patients with PF to pick up an early response to therapy. This study has stimulated a lot of international interest and the results are eagerly awaited.
To remain independent of any drug companies, we plan to fund this project independently. We have already secured funding for the research team and our costs will be purely drug and imaging related.
For further information or if you wish to donate to our Christmas Appeal, here are ways you can help:
Ways of Donating:
- Via our Justgiving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/
breathingmatters - Or you can set up your own fundraising page from our lead Justgiving page.
- Donate via text: Simply text “BMPF22 £XXX” to 70070
- Email us on breathingmatters@ucl.ac.uk if you want to set up a bank transfer.
- Ask your company to get involved and donate their ‘Secret Santa’ for this great cause.
- Send a cheque made out to ‘Breathing Matters’ to us at the above address.
- Spread the Word!
Thank you for helping someone breathe this Christmas!
