GEM Appeal funds lifesaving Tecan machine for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Rochdale charity The GEM Appeal (Genetics. Enzymes. Metabolics.) has funded a potentially lifesaving piece of equipment for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

The GEM Appeal was founded in 1994 by Rochdale mum Karen Johnson whose sons, Simon and Mikey, were born with Hunter Syndrome – a rare inherited disorder causing abnormalities in organs due to missing or malfunctioning enzymes.

With no cure and no treatment available for the boys at the time, they both tragically lost their lives at the age of 12, but the GEM Appeal has continued to grow in their memory.

Run entirely by volunteers, the charity has raised over £3 million towards funding research into and finding cures for rare genetic and metabolic disorders through various events; the most recent being founder Karen’s ‘favourite’, a Strawberry Sparkle ladies’ luncheon at Nutters Restaurant in August, and a fashion show hosted by Lily May Boutique in late October.

 

Read more: Annual Strawberry Sparkle ladies' luncheon raises fabulous £2,300 for GEM AppealPublished: 02 September 2021

Read more: Lily May Boutique fashion show raises nearly £700 for the GEM AppealPublished: 04 November 2021

 

Purchased at a total cost of £128,000, the new piece of equipment - a Tecan machine - arrived at the Simon and Mikey Hoather Research Laboratory in the Willink Unit at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in June 2021.

Now fully operational, the Tecan machine prepares and arranges blood samples for DNA analysis a few days after the birth of a baby. The piece of equipment also enhances a previous GEM Appeal purchase, the Tandem Mass Spectrometer, which analyses the samples taken to detect genetic disorders, and enables the specialist staff at the unit to concentrate on more complex tasks, freeing them to pursue other aspects of research and treatment.

Because of the money raised by the GEM Appeal, with the ‘vast majority of help and support coming from Rochdale residents’, children diagnosed with genetic conditions are living longer, healthier lives.

The Willink Unit are now looking into the next piece of equipment they need, ready for the GEM Appeal to set their next fundraising target. This announcement will be made at the charity’s 20th annual ball hosted by patron Denise Welch at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel on 20 November.

The GEM Appeal also recently received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes North West - one of the UK’s largest housebuilders - through its Community Champions scheme, a match-funding initiative that each month donates up to £1,000 each to two groups or individuals.

This is the third time the local charity has benefitted from the funding.
 

Read more: GEM Appeal charity receives £1,000 towards equipment for Manchester Children’s Hospital's genetics trustPublished: 07 January 2020

Wendy Mills, charity fundraiser for the GEM Appeal, said: “Pioneering research at the [Royal Manchester Children’s] hospital has developed an enzyme replacement for Hunter Syndrome and children are now benefiting from reduced symptoms, improved growth and development and are looking forward to living life to the fullest. We want to find cures for all these rare genetic diseases which devastate so many young lives.

“Thank you again Persimmon, we are absolutely ecstatic at your continued support that is making such a difference to people’s lives.”

Dave Hodgson, sales director for Persimmon North West, said: “As always, it is our pleasure to be able to help The GEM Appeal with their important fundraising.”