Hospital can break the mould
Amanda Crook
April
29, 2009
THE world's
first centre to help people with a devastating fungal disease is to open
in Manchester.
The unit at Wythenshawe Hospital will advise and treat hundreds of people
across the world who have an allergic reaction to one of the most common
fungi in the air.
Aspergillus is harmless to most people but in some - particularly
leukaemia sufferers and organ transplant recipients - it can cause asthma
and life-threatening pneumonia. Sunil Thacker, 32, from Chorlton, suffered
chronic coughing and exhaustion for four years before being diagnosed with
a genetic immune disorder which led to him contracting a series of
infections including aspergillus.
A year after being diagnosed and after three months of gruelling drug
treatment at Wythenshawe - which already has facilities to treat the
condition - he has now recovered so well he is in training to run the
Great Manchester Run along with 75 family members and friends to raise
money for the new National Aspergillosis Centre at Wythenshawe.
Sunil, a pharmacist, said: "I went from being fit and active to losing
weight, barely able to walk and wanting to sleep all the time. I had lots
of tests and treatment but until I was referred to the aspergillosis
centre nothing really worked. They have been amazing.
"My treatment was horrible - I had sight problems and felt sick every day
for the three-month treatment period but I am recovering really well now.
"It is great to be able to start running again, playing tennis and getting
on with my life.
"I am now on long-term antifungal treatment and have to be careful in damp
places, but I feel so lucky to have the experts right on my doorstep."
He aims to raise £30,000 which he plans to donate to the centre to
kick-start research work.
The centre will have consultants, nurses, surgeons, radiologists and
researchers studying the chronic pneumonia caused by aspergillus - which
leaves cavities in the lung - to reduce deaths and deliver a better
quality of care for patients.
Centre director Prof David Denning said: "Over the past few decades, the
incidence of invasive aspergillosis has risen steadily. It is now the most
common invasive mould infection worldwide.
"Mortality is almost 100 per cent if the disease is untreated and high
even with therapy."
Television GP Dr Chris Steele who was recently treated at Wythenshawe
after contracting the E.coli virus, will officially open the centre on
Friday,
To support Sunil:
www.justgiving.com/sunilthacker
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