We at the AKU Society would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. As 2018 starts, we’d like to give you a preview of what’s in store for this year.
On 23rd – 24th April, we will be holding our second International Patient Workshop at the Bluecoat in Liverpool. This will bring together AKU patients from all round the world, with their friends, carers and families. Two packed days of networking and advice await – to get an idea, have a look at our last one here. There will be a special conference dinner on the first night. We are also prepared to offer some assistance with travel costs. We’ll be producing a programme soon – if you want to book your place now, email lesley@akusociety.org
In the second half of the year, we‘ll be having our usual Patient Workshop for UK-based patients, too.
The year also promises lots of fundraising opportunities. As is becoming traditional, we will be organising a Comedy Night this summer for the third time in a row. This time, it’s in Cambridge. We will also be undertaking the ‘Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge’. This involves climbing the mountains of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent. We’ll bring two teams and head off in different directions. The first team to the finish wins!
Jamie Rumbelow, a postgraduate student at St. Andrews University, is running the Edinburgh Half Marathon on May 27th to raise money for us. His JustGiving page is here, where you can donate. If you would like to help in general or have any other fundraising ideas, email me at reece@akusociety.org
The AKU Society will also be going on the road to promote our work. In May, we‘re going to Vienna for the EURORDIS European Conference on Rare Diseases and Orphan Products. This involves rare disease societies and specialists from across the continent, and we’re really looking forward to it! We’ll be exhibiting at plenty of local conferences as well.
It’s going to be a busy year – we hope to see you at some point in it!