LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH BUYS MUCH NEEDED EQUIPMENT
FOR HOSPITAL
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| Members of the Lisburn branch of NI Leukaemia Research Greta Clarke, Irene Richer, Avril Suckling, Lovina Russell, Claire Warwick and Mr Colin McCall. US48-792SP |
THE Lisburn Branch of the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research has helped to purchase a piece of life-saving equipment for Belfast City Hospital.
The committee, which was set up 27 years ago, raised over £30,000, which has been used to buy equipment to help save lives.
The Lisburn Committee made the special donation as part of their 25th silver anniversary and were honoured for their work as a committee by the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund two years ago, and presented the money to Dennis McMorris Treasurer of the NILRF.
The Lisburn Branch of the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund provided the funding to purchase new equipment for the Hematology Research Group at Belfast City Hospital.
The new instrument monitors the level of leukaemia-causing genes in patients' blood samples. This state-of-the-art approach uses a technique known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and can simultaneously analyse the level of 30 different genes in one blood sample.
The analysis is very rapid so that results can be available within two hours. This equipment purchased by the Lisburn Branch has the potential to revolutionise disease monitoring patients with leukaemia and pave the way for further advances in research into serious blood diseases. Among the fundraising events, which helped to raise £30,000 were flag days, golfing tournaments and donations.
A Ladies Night at Lisburn Golf Club raised £2,958 and at the Beechlawn Hotel a Country and Western Evening raised £1,795.
Ballymacash Primary School presented the charity with a cheque for £2,000, which had been collected by family and friends.
The Ulster Business Men's Golfing Society held a Golf Day and Auction at Knock Golf Club, which raised £3,200.
The Lisburn Branch also organised a Golf Day at Lisburn Golf Club which raised £3,500.
The Ashford Ladies and the Bleacher's Men's Darts Club, held an evening in the Hertford Arms and raised £2,300.
A member of the Lisburn branch of the Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund, Irene Richer said that the group were pleased at how the money was spent.
"We wanted to do something really special for our silver anniversary two years ago as we normally do at special anniversaries," she explained.
"We have raised money in the past which has gone towards buying much needed equipment.
"This is certainly very welcomed and we feel is the most appropriate thing to do to help those suffering from leukaemia."
The local branch has raised over £250,000 since its formation in 1978.
The Northern Ireland Research Leukaemia Research promotes research into the causes and cure of Leukaemia in Northern Ireland. It achieves this objective by raising funds throughout Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Leukaemia Research Fund (NILRF) was founded in 1963 and supports investigations into the causes of leukaemia which will lead to its eventual cure.
Funds raised throughout Northern Ireland are used to promote research into leukaemia mainly in Northern Ireland.
At present NILRF is concentrating its support on projects which are investigating how normal blood is formed and the defects that occur in the various types of leukaemia.
02/12/2005
