Local children from Ballysteen National Schools and Askeaton Junior School today joined Wyeth Nutritionals Ireland Ltd (WNIL) Askeaton, and representatives from 22q11 Ireland to announce a new Charity of the Year partnership between the staff of WNIL and 22q11. The partnership will involve over 600 WNIL colleagues raising funds to benefit the services provided by the charity to families with 22q11 Deletion Syndrome (22q11 DS). 22q11 Ireland supports over 150 families across Ireland through healthcare, research and education for families, social workers, and professionals. Colleagues at WNIL will organise multiple fundraising events for the charity during 2019 – 2020.
Antonio Prochilo, Factory Manager at Wyeth Nutritionals Ireland Ltd said, “We are honoured to welcome 22q11 Ireland as our charity partner for 2019 – 2020. Our staff chose this charity due to the essential knowledge and support it provides to families affected by 22q11 Deletion Syndrome (DS). We aim to raise further awareness for this complex condition and to support the charity in continuing its efforts.”
John Ryan, Treasurer of 22q11 Ireland added, “Our partnership with WNIL will significantly help us to conduct essential research into 22q11 DS and enable us to continue to provide our services to families across Ireland. We are a wholly voluntary charity, so support such as this is vital if we are to continue to help those affected by 22q11 DS. Many thanks to WNIL and its staff for this commitment – we are so excited to see what the next two years will bring.”
22q11 Ireland was established to provide help and accurate information to Irish families surrounding 22q11 DS. It is a condition with over 180 different symptoms caused by micro-deletion on the 22nd chromosome. It is a chromosomal disorder that is not widely understood throughout the world. Since it is not well-recognised, lack of awareness of the condition can cause distress both to children themselves and those involved in their care. A proportion of children born with 22q11 DS are on the autism spectrum and some will develop psychiatric issues. Many children experience anxiety and struggle in school.
ENDS