Back in spring 2009 I took part in an awareness raising event organised by the drug company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The company was starting to make plans for the first ‘Phase 1’ clinical studies of a new antibody-based compound to treat MND, the delightfully titled ‘GSK1223249’. The Phase 1 study is still ongoing and we will of course let you know when we receive further information on progress.
The purpose of the day was to educate the laboratory scientists at other staff members at GSK, who had steered the development of the drug toward the clinic, about the realities of living with MND. Sarah Ezekiel, Prof Nigel Leigh and I all had parts to play in the day, held at the GSK research site at Stevenage.
Early in the New Year, I received an email from the captain of the GSK Stevenage Golf Society. After our awareness day, we had been selected as one of the Society’s two charities for the year and they had a cheque they would like to present. It’s really touching to see that the afternoon in 2009 had a longer term impact, both in continuing to keep MND in the minds of people working there, but also –so importantly – in raising funds for our activities. Many thanks to Dr Bams Abila and his colleagues in the Golf Society for their support!
Whilst it is great to see money coming in for research into the cause and treatments of MND, and for there to be more awareness in the Pharmaceutical Industry, I reall believe that we ought to ‘Get it out there’ that MND is a devastating disease and that help required by sufferers as they enter the downward spiral into complete disability and despair is very slow coming, if at all!!!
See my blog trying to help MND people by saying it as it is and giving advice:-
http://dontgetmestarted-pollyanna.blogspot.com/
Hi Pauline, thank you for your comment.
The cheque was not restricted to research and so could be used to fund all the activities of the MND Assocation – including care. You may already know that we are working to raise awareness of MND – our most recent campaign is called incurable optimism and led by Patrick Joyce. If you’ve not already seen our new video then please have a look here: http://bit.ly/fGfmFz