Page 12 - Real Rochdale Issue 12 Winter 2021

GEM Appeal funds Tecan machine for

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Purchased by the charity at a
cost of £128,000, the
Tecan machine arrived at the
Simon and Mikey Hoather
Research Laboratory in the
Willink Unit at Royal
Manchester Children’s
Hospital in June.

Now fully operational, the
equipment prepares and
arranges blood samples for
DNA analysis a few days
after the birth of a baby,
enabling the specialist staff
at the unit to concentrate
on more complex tasks and
Because of the money raised by the GEM enhancing a previous GEM

Appeal, children diagnosed with genetic Appeal purchase, the
Tandem Mass Spectrometer,
conditions are living longer, healthier lives. which analyses the samples
taken.

The GEM Appeal (Genetics. Run entirely by volunteers, The Willink Unit is now
Enzymes. Metabolics.) was the charity has raised over looking into more equipment
founded in 1994 by £3 million towards funding they need, ready for the
Rochdale mum Karen research into and finding GEM Appeal to set its next
Johnson whose sons, Simon cures for rare genetic and fundraising target.
and Mikey, were born with metabolic disorders
Hunter Syndrome – a rare through various events.
inherited disorder
causing abnormalities in The charity’s 20th annual
organs due to missing or ball was held in November,
malfunctioning enzymes. hosted by patron Denise
Welch at Manchester’s
With no cure and no Kimpton Clocktower Hotel,
treatment available for the and founder Karen’s
boys at the time, they both ‘favourite’ annual event, the
tragically lost their lives at Strawberry Sparkle ladies’
12-years-old, but the GEM luncheon was held at
Appeal has continued to Nutters Restaurant in
grow in their memory. August.

www.gem-appeal.co.uk Founder Karen Johnson with the
GEM Appeal’s Queen’s Award for
Voluntary Service
REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2021 12 13 REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2021