For a brighter future...
We continue to strive to achieve our goal to raise a research fund of £200,000, which was decided by the Trustees in February 2007, and the appeal total now stands at just over £150,000. We are especially grateful to all the friends of Cystinosis who continue to devote considerable time to raising the profile of the charity and to raising the very valuable funds.
We have received encouraging reports about the progress of the research being carried out by the University of Sunderland and therefore the Trustees have agreed further support for the coming year. Also we have kept in touch with the projects being carried out at the Robert Gordon University and have agreed to fund a project there over the next two years.
Since our launch, we have provided over £100,000 in funding to research projects, with another £68,000 planned this year and future commitments of yet another £60,000.
Projects such as the one at the University of Sunderland are making good progress and, as their work gets closer to practical results that could be used by sufferers, then the need for funds increases. The Trustees are also receiving very encouraging reports of gene therapy work and it is likely that funds for such research will be a priority in the future.
So our efforts will continue to focus on our fundraising appeal, with £50,000 needed to achieve our target, alongside our other aims of support, co-operation and education.
Gareth Jackson – Treasurer, Cystinosis Foundation UK
