A quarterly magazine that is a vital communication channel among people who have a little known auto immune liver condition for which there is no known cure has received a year’s funding from Aberdeen Asset Management.
The Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Foundation produces The Bear Facts newsletter to give its members reliable and up to date information written by leading medics.
The Foundation says that the publication plays an important part in supporting people with the condition, and includes letters from members sharing their experiences and coping strategies, case studies, and updates from volunteers, which detail their local activities. It also features a ‘PBC Clinic’, where medical advisors write updates on treatments, symptoms, and the results of medical research into finding a cause or cure for the condition.
Collette Thain MBE, CEO of the PBC Foundation said: “As with all of our services, The Bear Facts is distributed free of charge, as we strongly believe that PBC sufferers should not have to pay for resources on their condition.
“The support of Aberdeen Asset Management means that we can continue to deliver reliable, accurate and up to date information written by leading medics to our members wherever they live, be it Edinburgh or Elgin, for a full year.”
PBC is a progressive auto immune liver disease, unrelated to alcohol or drug abuse. 90% of people with the condition are women. It affects an estimated one woman in every 1000 over the age of 40 but getting diagnosed can be difficult and even then, a lack of knowledge and support can leave people feeling isolated and alone. There is currently no known cause or cure for PBC and it is one of the main reasons for liver transplantation in the UK.
The PBC Foundation is a Scottish registered charity that has over 9000 members in over 70 countries around the world. It campaigns to increase awareness and public understanding of the disease, as well as providing help, support and information to people with the condition and those close to then. The charity says there are negative misconceptions that affect the number of people willing to donate their liver, affecting the number of potential liver transplants available and therefore publicity and awareness are important areas of its work.
Dominic Kite of Aberdeen Asset Management’s Aberdeen charity committee said: “Our donation supports the publication and circulation of a quarterly magazine for members and the medical professions, keeping people informed, offering advice on quality of life issues and raising awareness of PBC on all levels.”
The Aberdeen Asset Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects. The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work.
For more information visit http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/foundation/home