DONATE BETWEEN 12PM, 3 DECEMBER – 12PM, 10 DECEMBER TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT THIS CHRISTMAS!
This Christmas we have once again teamed up with The Big Give and have secured a match funding pot so your Christmas donation can be DOUBLED! This means that your gift will help improve access to diagnosis and treatment, plus much needed research into treatments and cures for ataxia.
Ataxia UK is calling on your fantastic support and generosity to DOUBLE YOUR DONATIONS and help raise £68,000 to pilot a virtual ataxia service to improve access to diagnosis and treatment FOR everyone.
Donate between 12pm, 3 December until 12pm, 10 December here and your gifts to Ataxia UK will be doubled at no extra cost to you.
Improving access for all
There are only two Ataxia UK accredited adult centres in the UK (Sheffield and London) and we know that not every adult or child diagnosed with an ataxia condition is able to travel to them on a regular basis to benefit from the expert advice and treatment.
The pilot of ataxia virtual service will mean that patients could visit their local neurologist who would be able to “virtually” access the expert support of the Specialist Ataxia Clinics via video consultations.
This will give local neurologists, GPs and medical teams access to neurologists who can normally only be accessed by visiting ataxia clinics at London or Sheffield. Money raised for this year’s campaign will be used to help develop this pilot scheme at a chosen location, and if successful will be rolled out more widely.
Taryn’s story…
Taryn (left) at the Glasgow Kiltwalks in 2019 with her carers.
“I first noticed wobbly symptoms at 17 years old, after pushing my GP I saw a normal neurologist who misdiagnosed me with benign Familiar hypertonia. My mam wasn’t happy with this so after a few years fighting I got to see a specialist at Newcastle ataxia centre. After many tests and suspecting Friedreich’s ataxia, I was diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia. I don’t like travelling to Sheffield as it’s a long and arduous journey, but I’m prepared to do it to see a world renowned ataxia expert and receive support and treatment of symptoms there.”
Virtual ataxia services will ensure people like Taryn and her family won’t need to wait years to receive a correct ataxia diagnosis, or experience the high cost and stress of long journeys to Sheffield or London to access the specialist care they need.
Double your donation!
Please remember, if you are a UK tax-payer don’t forget to tick the Gift Aid box when you donate online as your gift will be worth 25% more at no extra cost to you.
For example a donation of £100 to help increase access to diagnosis and treatment during the Big Give Challenge week will be worth £225 towards raising the £68,000 goal!
On behalf of everyone the virtual ataxia service will help – please accept our deepest thanks for your support.
We wish you a very enjoyable holiday season and a Happy New Year!
