Raising money for a good cause

Nichola is currently raising money for Alström Syndrome UK with her next challenge being the London Marathon.

To donate money please go to: http://www.justgiving.com/Nichola-Martland2012

Alström Syndrome UK is a registered charity that was established in 1998 to provide support for families, professionals and carers. The charity has been instrumental in developing specialised medical screening clinics in both Birmingham and in Torquay for those affected. Here families get advice on the best treatments available to maintain a good quality of life and delay progression on the disorder.

Alström Syndrome is a very rare recessively inherited condition and the symptoms are not always easily recognised. It is estimated that about 200 families in the UK could be suffering from Alström Syndrome.

Alström Syndrome is characterised principally by a number of key conditions:

Retinal degeneration (inherited progressive eye disease)

Sensorineural hearing loss (disorders of the cochlear part of the ear)

Obesity and Insulin resistance

Additional features can include:

Renal and hepatic dysfunction (affecting the kidneys and liver)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Hypertriglyceridaemia (elevation of fatty substances found in the bloodstream)

Cardiomyopathy (poor cardiac function where the heart muscle is weakened and enlarged)

Bladder and bowel problems

To find out more please visit: Alström Syndrome UK