THE Devon and Cornwall branch of a charity, which aims to raise awareness of a rare condition known as the Rag Doll illness, and improve support for sufferers, has been awarded a grant of £5000.
The award to the Myasthenia Gravis Association comes from the Awards for All programme. Branch secretary Margaret Allen, who lives at Chilsworthy in East Cornwall, said the money would enable the committee to address two major problems highlighted by their members in response to a questionnaire earlier this year.
She said: ?Frequently, GPs have little or no experience of these rare conditions and sufferers worry about relapses.
?The sum of £4,400 will enable us to send a video produced by neurologists for doctors to every health centre in our region and as many opticians ? front-line medics for early diagnosis ? as funds allow.?
Ms Allen said rural dispersed
population patterns combined with a poorly-developed public transport structure prevented members from coming to meetings.
?Many feel isolated and £600 has been awarded to pay for the hire of a coach to travel on Sunday next spring from Plymouth to Penzance, stopping to meet or pick up members at arranged points en route. The whole exercise will also be repeated across Devon,? she said.
Ms Allen thanked everyone who had contributed by buying lottery tickets and the North and East Cornwall Primary Trust who had supported their proposal.
Those wishing to know more about the charity or the illness ? which is a disease of the immune system in which antibodies block the muscular triggering system, resulting in the inability to move or even breathe unaided ? can telephone freephone 0800 919922 or visit http://www.mgauk.org.uk">www.mgauk.org.uk