The Leicestershire Centre was established in 1985 by a group of people with MS, with the mission of enabling and empowering those living with the condition (and others) to manage their daily lives. They set out to achieve this by delivering coordinated, holistic and person-centred support services and therapies.
MS is an autoimmune condition that can affect the brain or spinal cord, where the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves, called the myelin sheath.
As a result, the sheath (and potentially the underlying nerves) become damaged
and scarred, disrupting and slowing down the process of messages travelling along the nerves. There are a wide range of potential symptoms for MS including numbness, impairment of speech and muscular coordination, blurred vision and severe fatigue.
It is estimated that 100,000 people in the UK have MS. Feelings of isolation and
loneliness are common amongst most diagnoses of the condition, which is not helped due to the fact that there is no cure, and that there is very limited help
available through the NHS.
The primary service that the Leicestershire Centre delivers sufferers of MS, and those with similar illnesses, is high dosage oxygen therapy. This involves the medical use of oxygen in a pressurised environment, where it is breathed through a mask. The use of this assisted breathing technique increases the oxygen levels in the bloodstream, encouraging the body to begin healing itself,
generate new stem cells and repair damaged tissues.
The Centre is currently in the process of replacing their current oxygen supply chain and equipment including pipes, the main unit and fittings. The new unit would be able to produce its own oxygen, which will greatly reduce operational
costs, giving certainty and control over their budget.
As a result, The Centre would be able to provide oxygen on a need basis, therefore eliminating the requirement to store large volumes of gas on site. Not
only would this ensure a safer working environment, but would also increase the reliability and efficiency of the therapy delivered.
The Hospital Saturday Fund was proud to award £10,000 to Leicestershire MS Centre towards their equipment update.
To learn more about Leicestershire Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre, visit: leicsmstherapycentre.org.uk/
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