Helen Marshall

Chris and Helens page

Fundraising for Vasculitis UK
£743
raised
Donations cannot currently be made to this page
Event: Great North Run 2023, on 10 September 2023
In memory of Robert Watson
Vasculitis UK

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RCN 1180473
We help and support people with vasculitis to improve outcomes for vasculitis patients

Story

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page

As some of you may know we lost my dad really suddenly in July 2018. After countless visits to the GP his condition went undiagnosed, he deteriorated rapidly and was eventually admitted to hospital. Once at the hospital even the doctors and consultants were at a loss as to what was making him so poorly. A post mortem concluded COPD was the cause of his death. 

After further research by a chest physician it was concluded that COPD was infact not the cause of death, it was actually an autoimmune disease called Microscopic Polyangitis. As a family we were and still are devastated that this disease went undiagnosed and untreated, whilst MPA isn’t curable it’s most definitely treatable. We asked questions as to why this disease went unnoticed and why a referral wasn’t made by the GP only to be told that the disease is so rare that it would be unreasonable for a GP to diagnose it. 


This cannot happen to another family, I want MPA to be in the forefront of not only people in the medical professions mind but also joe publics. Awareness is key, my dad would still be here if he was diagnosed within the first few weeks of going to the GP. 


MPA symptoms 

• tiredness 

• loss of appetite 

• joint and muscle aches 


Other symptoms will depend on the organs involved but include:-

  • Lungs – breathlessness, wheeze, dry cough or coughing up blood
  • Skin – rashes, ulcers, and necrosis (death of tissue)
  • Eyes – red (blood shot) eyes, painful, dry or gritty eyes, visual loss or other changes in vision
  • Nerves – loss of sensation, weakness, unusual painful symptoms in the hands and feet (hotness, pins and needles or “electric shocks”) and rarely paralysis or stroke
  • Bowels – Diarrhoea, bleeding and abdominal pain.

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Thankyou for reading 🫶🏻

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About the charity

Vasculitis UK

Verified by JustGiving

RCN 1180473
Vasculitis UK provides support, advice and information to those suffering from vasculitis and their families. VUK also sponsors research into the causes and treatment of vasculitis and works to raise general awareness of ALL types of vasculitis. VUK is run by volunteers who all have vasculitis.

Donation summary

Total raised
£743.00
+ £98.75 Gift Aid
Online donations
£743.00
Offline donations
£0.00

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