Lilleshall golfers above par with £4,300 charity donation
A golf club has helped to raise thousands of pounds for a charity dedicated to finding new antibiotics against resistant bacteria.
Everything from hosting an oompah band concert to running a Spanish night complete with a menu of tapas and flamenco, helped Lilleshall Golf Club raise £4,300 for Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK).
The money will help fund new medications to replace increasingly ineffective antibiotics and support families and patients living with potentially deadly conditions such as MRSA.
The club has a personal interest in putting anti-superbug fundraising at the heart of its activity.
Outgoing captain Nick Collins' daughter Emily is enduring a brave ongoing battle with an infection that stunted her career as a nurse – but has led her to becoming a national ambassador against antibiotic resistance.
Born with scarring on her kidneys and susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs), Emily has an incurable condition called ESBL with E.coli.
Emily said: “When I got a UTI, the answer was always in the form of an antibiotic. When one stopped working, I guess they gave me another, it wasn’t a problem.
"The antibiotics would be given by district nurses at home, but poor veins meant regular trips to A&E waiting to be re-cannulated time after time and still really with no dramatic impact and no explanation.
"Eventually the urologist said that we all have these bacteria in our gut and if they stay in there they do good work, but if they get into the rest of your body they cause all sorts of mayhem.”
Emily has since taken on the role of an ambassador for ANTRUK.
Professor Colin Garner, chief executive and founder of ANTRUK said: “Emily's story illustrates fully the magnitude of antibiotic resistance.
"Already 700,000 people per year die of superbugs globally and conditions such as UTIs, gonorrhoea and pneumonia are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
"Her determination to beat the condition and raise awareness of superbugs is however truly unique and she is an inspiring young person doing her bit to preserve the health of all of us.”
Mr Collins added: “From Ryder Cup weekends to race nights where we've worn bowler hats, flat caps and jockey helmets, our 650 members have joined in with the spirit of the fundraising and contributed, and all of that kindness has added up. They have also become much more aware of antibiotic resistance.”
Learn more about ANTRUK at antibioticresearch.org.uk
To donate to the charity, visit cafdonate.cafonline.org/2680#/DonationDetails
