Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page and thank you to those who also supported us last year - you raised £1,500.  This year we are even more ambitious.

Two years ago, aged 15, Tom was told he has Stargardt.  It was a huge shock and Paul and I were unaware we are carriers.  In fact between 1 in 30 and 1 in 50 of us carry the condition and most never know it.

Stargardt is progressive, usually diagnosed in childhood and affects the central vision leading to difficulty reading, watching TV, recognising faces etc as cells in the macular (part of the retina) die. Similar to Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Tom's vision has deteriorated. He is now 17 and unable to drive. There is no treatment or cure.

Instead of helplessly watching our son go blind, with the help of our friends Mandy, Jon, and nephew, Josh we are raising money for vital research into drug, gene and stem cell therapy.  These treatments are currently in human trials for the treatment of Stargardt's and AMD.  

Moorfields Hospital tell us there is a lot of promising research being done and breakthroughs are being made.  It's possible, with your support, that Tom will receive a treatment in his lifetime.

Life isn't fair and so, encouraged by Tom's bravery, we are trying to even things up a bit for the 6,000 people living with Stargardt in the UK and 30,000 in the USA (11 million with AMD in the US).

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 your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Tom, Paul, Catherine, Mandy, Jon and Josh (Team Tom) are very grateful for your kind support x