Flame Heating Group has pledged at least £5,000 to a South Tyneside man who is hoping to access pioneering treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), which he has battled for over a decade.
Paul George, a former construction worker, was diagnosed with relapse and remitting MS when he was 30 years old after being rushed to hospital when he noticed that his eyesight was blurred while driving to work.
Paul, 40, from Wilton Gardens, Boldon, is trying to access stem cell transplant therapy abroad, which is not routinely available on the NHS.
He launched a fundraising appeal, with the aim of raising £40,000 for the treatment that can halt the progression of the condition completely through chemotherapy, which clears a patient’s immune system and is reset using their own stem cells.
After hearing about Paul’s story through one of his branch directors, John Savage, Managing Director of Flame Heating Group, reached out to Paul and made his cause the company’s chosen charity for the year.
Last year, Flame raised in excess of £2,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support at its inaugural race day event at Newcastle Racecourse, which has since become an annual fixture in the company’s fundraising calendar, with a new charity or local cause supported each year.
John is hoping to double last year’s efforts at the Flame Heating Group Racenight on September 22.
He said: “We pledge our support to a different cause or charity each year and Paul’s story is a very deserving and fitting one. He has shown great courage and strength in his battle with MS, and as soon as I was made aware about his fundraising appeal, I immediately got in touch.
“I am looking to build on last year’s successful race day, which has since become an annual company event, and hopefully we will be able to contribute a great deal towards Paul hitting his target.”
Paul said: “I am very grateful to John and everyone at Flame for their support. This treatment has the ability to significantly improve my quality of life and any support I receive will help me achieve my ambition to access it. I would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support since my diagnosis, which has been a massive boost to me and my family.”
For more information about Paul’s story or to donate to his cause, visit https://uk.gofundme.com/
For more information about the Flame Heating Group Racenight, visit http://www.newcastle-
http://www.flameheatingspares.