Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation Fundraising Update.

Following Natasha Kelly's successful completion of the Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday and raising nearly £1,500 for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (blog), this is an update on how the fundraising is going for Mark Little and the 3 other volunteers in his team, who will be kayaking across the English Channel from Dungeness to Boulogne in August (blog). They will also be fundraising in support of the local 4 year-old with Type I SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), Elsie-Rose, whose grandfather and other family members work in the local fishing industry, and the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation. 

Young Elsie-Rose was diagnosed with Type I SMA in September 2014, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness, and results in problems moving, eating, breathing and swallowing. Without intervention, most children with Type I SMA die within the first 2 years of life, however, the resilient Elsie-Rose strives to carry on and enjoy life just like all other 4 year olds, or more so! 

Because many of the expenses involved in supporting children with Type I SMA are not provided by the Department of Health or NHS, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation was set up to help provide help and financial support to families with disabled, sick, and terminally ill children. After meeting Elsie-Rose and her family, Mark and his team decided to kayak across the English Channel with the aim of raising money for Elsie-Rose and the Foundation.  

Donations are being sought via Crowdfunding which will go towards necessary equipment for Elsie-Rose and her carers, and to contribute funds towards the Foundation so that it may support other families in need. So far £440 has been donated via Crowdfunding, many thanks! There is also a collection box for donations and sponsorship forms in the Dolphin Inn at 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW. 

If you wish to know more about Elsie-Rose, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation and their campaign, you can go to their facebook page or twitter page. If you would like more details about SMA Type 1, go to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy website. 

To make a contribution towards supporting this brave 4 year-old and other children with similar problems, please make a donation via Crowdfunding or go and visit the Dolphin Inn and make a pledge to support the team's kayaking challenge, or add to the collection box, indeed, all contributions are very gratefully received, many thanks!