A South Holland charity has won a major national award for its work to improve diagnosis and care for people with a genetic condition.
Haemochromatosis UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to people suffering from the most common genetic condition. It can lead to iron overload and cause a range of symptoms including liver disease, diabetes, dementia and heart disease.
The condition affects around one in 50 people in England and Wales with one in five being carriers for it.
The charity, founded in 1990, won the top 2022 GSK IMPACT Award, having been selected from more than 350 charities across the UK.
The awards are run in association with the health think-tank The King’s Fund and are designed to recognise the work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve health and wellbeing.
“We’re thrilled to receive this prestigious award. It’s like winning the Oscars! We are grateful for the support of the All-Party Parliamentary Group as we seek to improve the diagnosis and care of people at risk of this common genetic condition,” said chief executive of the charity Neil McClements.
The charity also acts as the secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Genetic Haemochromatosis which is chaired by South Holland and the Deepings MP Sir John Hayes.
“I’m immensely honoured to acknowledge and celebrate the recognition afforded by this prestigious award for a charity that does so much to highlight this condition and campaign for the best measures to alleviate the challenges faced by people affected by iron overload,” he said.
The charity, which has as patrons actor Stephen McGann and his wife Heidi Thomas from Call the Midwife fame, offers support, advice and information.
Genetic Haemochromatosis is much more common in the UK, Northern France and Northern Spain.
For more information see the website www.haemochromatosis.org.uk
