Marching for research

More than 750 Moorfields Eye Hospital staff, patients, family and friends have raised over £70,000 to support “ground-breaking” research into ophthalmology.

On Sunday (13 March) the group completed either a four or 14-mile ‘Eye to Eye’ fundraising walk, with both routes beginning at Moorfields Eye Hospital in Old Street, London, and finishing at the London Eye.

It is the largest number of people to take part in the annual event, increasing from 500 in its inaugural year in 2015.

The funds will be donated to Moorfields Eye Charity (MEC), which supports the hospital and the research it performs in partnership with University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology.

Those who took part in the walk are able to nominate the area of eye research that they want to benefit from the funds they raise. Retinitis pigmentosa patient, Philip Barraclough, has raised over £2500 for the cause and said: “I was delighted to take part in ‘Eye to Eye’ so I could give something back to Moorfields, which has done so much to support me and my family after my diagnosis. I hope my fundraising will help Moorfields to find new ways of treating my disease.”

Director of fundraising at MEC, Rob Aldous, told OT: “We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response from Moorfields staff, members and patients to this event, as we strive to raise more money for the hospital’s pre-eminent research programme. It was a memorable day on Sunday and it was great to meet those taking part and be able to thank them for their fantastic support.”