Trevor Drew
For World Rabies Day, Trevor Drew is competing in the
Fundraising for Alliance for Rabies Control
Story
Racing to stop the misery of rabies in the developing world
Looking for my 2012 adventure? Click here http://www.justgiving.com/Trevor-Drew0
STOP PRESS: We completed the race in 14 days and 6 hours, coming 5th of 41 in the IRC monohull racing class. Many thanks to all of you for your interest, support and generosity. Trev & Richie
n June 2010, follow my progress in the Shetland two-handed Round Britain & Ireland yacht race, and donate to the dynamic work of the Alliance for Rabies Control to make rabies history
Every ten minutes, a family loses a child to rabies, an unimaginably painful disease which still kills over 55,000 people a year. Parents stand and watch helplessly as their child dies an indescribable death, terrified and always conscious of what is happening to them. Often the only answer from governments is the mass, inhumane culling of stray dog populations, which has little effect in control.
Yet rabies is 100% preventable. Had the parents had access to treatment after the dog bite, their child would have survived. Had the dog been vaccinated, the child would not have been infected. This is why the Alliance for Rabies Control’s message educate and vaccinate is so important.
In June 2010 I'm taking part in a two-handed yacht race around the whole of the British Isles to raise money for the Alliance as part of their World Rabies Day campaign. For over a hundred years, we have benefitted from our island status, which, along with import controls, has kept us free of this terrible disease.
But people in some other countries are not so fortunate. In my work for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency I travel a lot as a specialist in exotic viral diseases, and I encounter endless tragic tales of the suffering caused by this easily preventable disease. It is most often children who are affected, because they are small and oblivious to the odd behaviour exhibited by rabid dogs.
The Alliance for Rabies Control is working with governments and health workers to sponsor projects like the one in Bohol, Philippines, where children themselves help to educate the community about the importance of vaccinating their dogs and seeking treatment after bites. They are close to making their island rabies-free, and providing a model for tens of thousands of other communities throughout the world.
Every year, thousands of people in more than 100 countries take part in World Rabies Day. Take a look at this video to see some of the other events. http://www.youtube.com/user/worldrabiesday
It will take me about a month to sail around Britain for World Rabies Day, to raise money for the Alliance. It is a serious race and a real challenge. I want to make everyone aware of just how devastating a problem rabies is throughout the world and how easily we can resolve it if we have the resources. And if you want to follow my progress in the race, check out our blog at http://jangada-too.blogspot.com/
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send all your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate to the Alliance now to help to make rabies history.
Many thanks,
Trevor