We raised £57,000 for the Vitiligo Society through our Everest record success, thank you so much to everyone for all the support and generosity that has helped us achieve this!
What is Vitiligo?
Vitiligo is quite a common skin disease which affects at least one person in every hundred in countries throughout the world. Vitiligo causes the skin, and sometimes the hair, to turn white in patches. This is because melanocytes, the cells which give the skin its colour, have either been damaged or destroyed. The disease can spread, rapidly or slowly, to cover the entire body surface. In some cases only one half of the body is affected and this type has limited progression and is more difficult to treat. Vitiligo can begin at any age, though about fifty percent of people develop it before the age of twenty. It can cause severe psychological distress, especially when the face, neck, hands and genitals are affected.
What can be done?
There is currently no cure for vitiligo, and the unpredictable course of the disease can seem like a life sentence; some people may not notice a change in their condition for many years, while for others it can spread quite rapidly.
The Vitiligo Society
Since 1984, the Society has been the primary source of information and support for people suffering with vitiligo in the UK and actively supports research initiatives and funds research projects aimed at establishing the cause of vitiligo and finding safe and effective treatments. They aim to help people cope better with the psychological, social and physical impacts of the condition.
We have chosen to raise money for this charity as my mum is affected by the condition, and it is usually passed down families, skipping generations. We would really appreciate any donation you could offer, however small, to sponsor us on our final mountaineering challenge.
If you are at all interested then please visit www.justgiving.com/leannashuttleworth or www.vitiligosociety.org.uk for more details.
Vitiligo is quite a common skin disease which affects at least one person in every hundred in countries throughout the world. Vitiligo causes the skin, and sometimes the hair, to turn white in patches. This is because melanocytes, the cells which give the skin its colour, have either been damaged or destroyed. The disease can spread, rapidly or slowly, to cover the entire body surface. In some cases only one half of the body is affected and this type has limited progression and is more difficult to treat. Vitiligo can begin at any age, though about fifty percent of people develop it before the age of twenty. It can cause severe psychological distress, especially when the face, neck, hands and genitals are affected.
What can be done?
There is currently no cure for vitiligo, and the unpredictable course of the disease can seem like a life sentence; some people may not notice a change in their condition for many years, while for others it can spread quite rapidly.
The Vitiligo Society
Since 1984, the Society has been the primary source of information and support for people suffering with vitiligo in the UK and actively supports research initiatives and funds research projects aimed at establishing the cause of vitiligo and finding safe and effective treatments. They aim to help people cope better with the psychological, social and physical impacts of the condition.
We have chosen to raise money for this charity as my mum is affected by the condition, and it is usually passed down families, skipping generations. We would really appreciate any donation you could offer, however small, to sponsor us on our final mountaineering challenge.
If you are at all interested then please visit www.justgiving.com/leannashuttleworth or www.vitiligosociety.org.uk for more details.