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The need for research into ITP

Early in 1999, 4 years after the Support Association was formed, trustees Shirley Watson and Keith Lewis agreed that the Association could expand its operation from providing information and patient support to funding research into ITP in the hope of seeking better treatments - even perhaps finding a cure.. Professors Newland and Lilleyman agreed that the establishment of a national research fund specifically for the purpose of supporting original work in ITP would be a marvellous step forward and advised aiming for a target amount of £40,000 to fund 2 year's research. It was thought that it would take many years before the Association could accumulate such a sum.

Yet by September of 2000 the Association had raised £23,000, had been promised £20,000 by a grant-making trust and gave £5000 to Dr Bolton Maggs towards the study of newly diagnosed ITP children. In March 2001, just 2 years since announcing the launch of this Stan Bryett Research Fund, the Association awarded its first major research grant of £37,000 to Dr Provan for his molecular analysis of treatment predictors in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Since then a further £7000 sponsored ITP clinical specialist nurse Deborah Kenny working part-time for a year and thanks to a most generous donation by the Towler family in memory of Carol Towler, £10,000 funded the pilot year of the Adult ITP Registry.

Between April 2006 and March 2007 the Association has awarded £10,000 as the first of two payments to sponsor a Childhood Registry under the auspices of Dr Grainger at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, £10,000 to fund the UK part of Professor Victor Blanchette's Quality of Life Study and £39,000 to sponsor a scientist working full time to analyse and continue ITP research at the Royal London.

The ITP Support Association has no membership fee and none of this research funding could have been achieved without the generosity of ITP members and friends. The steady flow of donations from ITP sufferers, families and friends, in addition to general fundraising at the local level, has been not only heart warming and sometimes astonishing, but also inspiring because of the continuing sacrifice so many participants have made in their daily lives. Those of us who man Support Association headquarters could never express our gratitude for the encouragement and willing dedication given by so many to achieve our target. Your donation will help us to replenish our research fund so that we have the means to support the next worthwhile ITP research project that comes along.

New Molecular Scientist Appointed
The London are delighted to report the appointment of Dr. Momin Ahmed as their new post-doctoral molecular scientist. As a specialist registrar in haematology and former researcher at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford, Momin joins the team with a wealth of clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological experience. He will utilise single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-association testing and gene expression to analysis to reveal more information regarding ITP aetiology and disease progression.

Will you help us fund ITP Research? Make a donation online or send a cheque made payable to The ITP Support Association, (with the word Research on the reverse) to:
The ITP Support Association,
Synehurste,
Kimbolton Rd,
Bolnhurst,
Beds,
MK44 2EW