Fight for Sight on Theo's Future: A voyage of Hope & Endeavour

by Mike Brooke 16 Sep 2013 11:04 BST Stand B006, 13-22 September 2013

Fund raising marathon continues with launch of inspirational book at the PSP Southampton Boat Show

In 2008, Mike Brooke circumnavigated the British Isles in his 19 foot Cape Cutter, 'Theo's Future', to raise money for Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. With a fundraising target of £27,000 for a light scanner system, Mike returned home having spent 86 days at sea and sailed 1,783 nautical miles, with a staggering £43,000 raised.

'Fight for Sight on Theo's Future: A Voyage of Hope & Endeavour' tells the captivating and emotional story of Mike's voyage. The book delivers a heartfelt account of his 86 challenging and rewarding days at sea with all proceeds going to the charities Fight for Sight and the Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit.

Yet, the story is about so much more than sailing and fundraising. Mike's eldest son Simon Brooke was tragically killed in a road accident in August 2003. Simon's best friend George had a son, Theo, who was born happy and healthy on New Year's Eve 2006, and Mike was asked to be godfather. Tragically, at the age of six months, Theo was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition of the retina called Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA). He is now blind, and there is no treatment or cure - yet. Finding a solution costs money, which inspired Mike to undertake his sailing marathon.

Following Mike's triumphant return, the amount raised funded the purchase of a vital piece of gene-screening equipment for researchers at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in London, and Moorfields Eye Hospital. The equipment has helped to facilitate their work into gene therapy, with the team recently completing the world's first ever trial using gene therapy to treat people with LCA.

Professor Tony Moore who was the recipient of the equipment and funds said: "We have been incredibly grateful to Mike. The equipment and the funds for research he provided have helped us to identify the genetic changes causing LCA, a form of childhood blindness, in many children."

Julian Jackson, Head of Fundraising at Fight for Sight knows first-hand the devastating impact of losing his sight after going blind three years ago. He said, "Mike has been involved with Fight for Sight for many years and we're extremely grateful for all the support he has given us. At Fight for Sight we believe that there should be a future that everyone can see and we're determined to prevent sight loss and treat eye disease through research. Without the enthusiasm, commitment and generosity of Mike and our many other supporters this wouldn't be possible – so thank you."

For more information on the book and to purchase a copy, visit Mike on Stand B006 at the Southampton Boat Show, or go to www.theosfuture.org

Fight for Sight

Fight for Sight is the leading UK charity dedicated to funding pioneering research to prevent sight loss and treat eye disease. Fight for Sight is funding research at leading universities and hospitals throughout the UK. Major achievements to date include:

• Saving the sight of thousands of premature babies through understanding and controlling levels of oxygen delivery
• Restoring sight by establishing the UK Corneal Transplant Service enabling over 52,000 corneal transplants to take place
• Providing the funding for the research leading to the world's first clinical trial for choroideremia
• Bringing hope to children with inherited eye disease by helping to fund the team responsible for the world's first gene therapy clinical trial
• Identifying new genes responsible for keratoconus and Nance-Horan syndrome

Fight for Sight's current research programme is focusing on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract. We are also funding research into the causes of childhood blindness and a large number of rare eye diseases.

Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is a group of severe inherited retinal diseases that appears at birth or in the first few months of life. It affects around 1 in 80,000 of the population. These diseases are characterised by severe loss of vision, involuntary eye movements and poor responses of the pupil.

15 different genes leading to LCA have been identified and these genes account for about 60% of the cases suggesting that several more remain to be discovered. Mutations in several of these genes are also associated with "early onset severe retinal dystrophy" (EOSRD) which appear later in childhood.

There are currently no treatments for this group of inherited retinal diseases though a recent clinical trial for one form of LCA has led to optimism. Identifying the genes responsible for the remaining 40% of inherited retinal disease is essential in order to develop new treatments and to prioritise the disorders most likely to respond to therapy.

fightforsight.org.uk