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October Isue

 

NEWS

'PiggyBankKids'

 

'Jennifer Brown Research Fund'

PiggyBankKids is a charity which was founded by Sarah Brown after she and her husband Gordon lost their little daughter Jennifer at the age of 10 days. Since PiggyBankKids was established in 2002, it has grown to cover a number of charitable projects creating new opportunities for children and young people. The early support for the Jennifer Brown Research Fund has been far greater than expected allowing a new research laboratory, named after Jennifer, to be based at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh. With an initial three years' funding for four new ground-breaking projects, the charity have been bowled over by the enthusiasm and professionalism of the highly specialist team recruited by Professor Andrew Calder and his board.

Dr ANNE ARMSTRONG, who is an obstetrician, is using a new technique called dermal micro-dialysis to investigate why women develop pre-eclampsia, a disease unique to pregnancy which can cause death and serious illness for mothers and babies.

Dr SARAH STOCK is also an obstetrician and is looking at the placentas of women who go into labour early or at the correct time. Minor infection in the genetal tract can cause labour to start too early. Some women are more resistant to these infections and this reduces their susceptibility to premature labour. If Sarah can identify some of the factors involved in this resistance, it will increase the understanding of premature labour, and may help to prevent some babies from being born too eary.

Dr CATHERINE DHALIWAL is a neonatologist (a doctor who looks after new born babies) and is investigating the relationship between weight gain in the womb, weight gain after birth and subsequent blindness. Babies born prematurely are at high risk of becoming blind.

Dr HANNAH SHORE is also a neonatologist and is investigating the effects of oxygen on the brains of premature babies. As well as blindness, premature babies are at increased risk of developing cerebral palsy and learning difficulties in later life.

 

 

 

Sarah Brown

There are many ways members of the public can contribute to the charity, one is by making a donation to 'The Jennifer Brown Research Fund', PiggyBankKids, 16 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3ED

or

have some fun with your friends by holding a 'Big Night In' event

for your host pack and further information visit

www.bignightin.org

 

For further information about PiggyBankKids Charity and all of the activities associated with it please visit

www.piggybankkids.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

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