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On Thursday 13th June, Sue Stewart attended a meeting at the  B&CR offices, Whitechapel. She met Neele Dellscaft, Postdoctoral Researcher of St. Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Nottingham University and Deborah Gilbert, CEO of B&CR. The meeting was to discuss protocol for the MRI research study, PORT have funded, to ensure the project is patient friendly. This proved to be a very successful meeting, and any concerns were addressed positively.

PORT are proud to be funding 3 projects this year at a cost of £149,544. To fund this research PORT is using reserve funds. Therefore fundraising over the next 2 years is even more important, so please do support our charity.

The first project involves harnessing MRI for the diagnosis of CIPO funded by PORT. PORT are funding £49,554 for this study and will build on previous research from The Nottingham Gastrointestinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging group and colleagues at University College and Queen Mary University of London. Using MRI should allow CIPO to be diagnosed by a test that is accessible and sensitive.

Additionally, PORT is funding £50,000 to study the potential of developing neurons for tissue repair. The team is being led by Professor Joe Martin, Professor of Pathology at Queen Mary, University of London. The potential of developing a therapy that could seed and migrate new functioning nerve cells could have a significant impact on quality of life, and potentially be a life line for some of the most poorly.

Finally, PORT is funding a study led by Professor Gareth Sanger, which will study a new approach to gastroparesis and nausea. This study in human tissue will help to pin point this mechanism, paving the way to the development of new treatments to help patients who suffer with this debilitating symptom.

To find out more about the 3 research projects PORT are funding this year please click here to go to the research section of our wesbite.  

Zander Fagerson is a Scottish International rugby player who plays for Glasgow warriors. Zander made his debut for Scotland in the six nations match against England at Murrayfield on 6th February 2016. Zander has supported PORT to date by donating signed rugby sportswear for auction. Zander had never heard of the illness Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction (CIPO) until he met Louise MacDonald, and her mum Carole who told Zander there is no cure. ‘For me personally I think that’s unacceptable with the level of expertise in medicine. To then see Louise at the rugby, and how happy she was there, supporting Glasgow and Scotland, forgetting about her condition and enjoying the day really got to me. This is why I am proud to become a Patron/Ambassador for PORT. I may not be able to find a cure, but if I can raise a bit of awareness or get a few more sufferers to a rugby game and try and give them some relief , however small, I would feel I was making a difference.

 

Zander Fakerson 2Zander Fakerson

Keep on Walking! 2018 TEAM PORT for the Southend Colourthon 7 th July 2018

All entrants from Team PORT completed the Southend Colourthon walk this year. Everyone completed their walk at different times but it was the taking part that was most important to them all, a fun event, with a great Team spirit. Chairperson and Team leader Sue Stewart mustered a team of 23 walkers to take part on behalf of PORT. This gave the charity a good level of entrants compared to other charities, even some that are well known fielded a lesser number of entrants. For Sue herself this was her 6 th Colourthon half marathon, supported by husband Barry Stewart (4th time) and daughters, Jessica Roskilly-Stewart, and Rebecca Stanier both 3rd time. Friends of PORT Clare Mitchell 2nd time, Team Debbie Callaghan 2nd time, and for their 1st attempt were Team Joe Smiles Team, Team Kaylie Finch’s Earl Grey Pub Team, and lastly Sam Smith who only signed up to walk the day before the event.

As at the time of writing this £11,451 has now been raised from this event for PORT to fund research so a massive thanks to all those who took part, and their sponsors. An incredible amount big thank you from Sue, well done to all.

If we are able to have more support next year who knows what we can attain in sponsorship, so get the word out to friends, and family to become PORT walkers in July 2019!

The event is normally held on the first Saturday in July so pencil it in on your 2019 calendar now! Best wishes TEAM PORT – SupPORT the cause.

 

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Our Trustee from the North Kilian and his wife Lindsey Fitzsimmons-Wilson hosted a Black Tie Ball at Blackburn Rovers Football Club .

They were joined by family, friends and other trustees from up and down the country and raised a massive £16,200!!

They also organised a little surprise for Head Trustee Sonia Frost who was greeted at the event by the Eddie Stobart Truck that is named after her daughter Emily Jasmine Frost.

a BIG Thankyou to everyone that attended, and that bought raffle tickets and auction items on the night.

#supPORTthecause !!!!!!!

 

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A Big Thank you to Finley Fitzsimmons-Wilson, age 7 from Longridge (pictured right)

He took part in the Hero Assault Challenge, Preston alongside his Mummy Natalie and raised a massive £500 for PORT Charity

Finn completed this challenge especially for his older cousin Charlie Fitzsimmons-Wilson, Age 9 (pictured left) who suffers from Pseudo Obstruction.

Thanks for supPORTing PORT!!!

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For all that have never seen it here’s a clip of the Eddie Stobart truck that PORT had named after our Pseudo Angel Emily Jasmine.

We were given this opportunity a few years back and PORT raised over £600 from donations from our followers in Emily’s Memory.

 

A BIG THANKYOU to Paul at Foxley Film for producing this amazing video ‘This is Charlies Day” to help raise awareness. #supPORTthecause #pseudoobstructionresearchtrust #PORT

 

 

PORT Charity raised £60,073 in our last financial year (31st March 2017).

PORT funded £126,855 towards three projects.  This is an amazing achievement for such a small charity.

PORT funded a manometry device for use in colonic manometry on behalf of the gastro paediatric department at The Royal London Hospital. (Stewart Cleeve)

PORT has funded the EVASION research project looking at the effect of transcutaneous and physiological vagal nerve stimulation on symptoms and motility in patients with CIPO/Dysmotility. This project is on behalf of Prof Adam Farmer,  University College Hospital, North Midlands and Prof Qasim Aziz Barts and The Royal London Hospital.

The identification of CIPO subgroups with underlying connective tissue disorders and the assessment of GI Anatomy, motility and response to pharmacology in CIPO subjects using novel MRI techniques, Dr. Asma Fikree / Prof Qasim Aziz.

A great year for #TeamPORT.  Thanks everyone for all the support and fundraising efforts. Heres to another great year on our mission to help all that suffer!!