First Donation to PMR-GCA UK
A Dundee couple today presented a new national charity with its first donation.
Donald (81) and Wilma (79) Malcolm celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary last month and, instead of gifts, asked relatives and friends to give cash donations. Wilma can barely walk due to a little known disorder that affects all of her joints.
She has suffered from Polymyalgia Rheumatica for around 12 years. The couple have four daughters and the eldest, Anne, suffers from a related condition that affects her blood and muscles called Giant Cell Arteritis.
Broughty Ferry woman Jean Miller has been instrumental in establishing PMR-GCA UK to support sufferers of the disabling inflammatory conditions which have no known cause and no known cure.
The new national charity also plans to promote research.
Mrs Miller, herself diagnosed eight years ago, accepted Mr and Mrs Malcolm's cheque for £540 at Dundee Parish Church (St Mary's), where a local support group meets on a monthly basis.
Mr and Mrs Malcolm live in sheltered housing in the Lochee area of the city. Their second daughter Dawn discovered the existence of the Dundee-based support group on the Internet.
Last year, the Tayside PMR & GCA support group got Big Lottery funding to establish a website and, following on from that, Mrs Miller served on a UK working group which led to the formation of the national charity.
Source: Republished by kind courtesy of 'The Evening Telegraph'.
Date: 17th February 2009.
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