The Marathon Des Sables. Why?
You can be crazy to run the Marathon Des Sables.
But you don't have to be...
Increase your personal satisfaction of running the race by raising money for your favourite charity. Chris Lawrence has been encouraging all British competitors to do this over many years of promoting the Sand Marathon. Despite wishes that it become a requirement for entry into the race, many competitors still run for themselves only. This is wasted potential.
Which Charity to choose?
If you can't think of a charity, that is no reason to not raise money for one. Please let us suggest 'Facing Africa', fighting against the disease 'NOMA'. Facing Africa was the official charity of the 2003 MdS.
Over the past couple of years competitors have raised significant amounts for for Facing Africa - view the money raised by previous competitors.
As an added incentive, a rebate on your registration fee is available if you agree to raise money for Facing Africa / NOMA - Click here for details.
What is NOMA?
Cancrum Oris.
NOMA is found almost exclusively in malnourished children in the poorest countries. It is a vicious and deadly gangrene that eats away the flesh around the mouth and face of children aged mainly up to 6 years. It is estimated that 70 - 90% of these children die but for those who survive, there is the tragic situation where their faces are so disfigured that they are rejected by their societies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that up to 500,000 children are victims of NOMA and that over 100,000 aged 2 - 6 contract NOMA every year.
Most cases of NOMA start with ulcers on the gums. From there, the disease spreads; the mouth becomes sore and cheeks or lips become tender and swell. This causes the child considerable pain and within a few days the facial flesh starts to decay. As the gangrene destroys the flesh (sometimes even bones) a scab forms and eventually falls off leaving a gaping hole in the face. In infancy, the lips are often eaten away thus preventing the child from breast feeding. Once facila decomposition has set in, 4 out of 5 children will die if they do not reach an hospital in time and as most of the victims live in abject poverty and in remote villages, medical treatment is not a consideration. The survivors will carry grotesque disfigurment for the rest of their lives. Most will not be able to eat or speak normally.
What is being done?
Facing Africa works in co-operation with similiar charities around the world to promote awareness of NOMA and to send out medical teams to the countries most affected by NOMA to carry out facial reconstruction work and help train the local medical staff.
Facing Africa
(Web Site: www.facingafrica.org)
Aims
- To make NOMA visible
- To provide facial reconstruction facilities in the countries affected for those already affected
- To encourage the affected countries to plan for early detection and immediate treatment of NOMA
Prevention
Yes. Noma can be prevented, it can be cured and to a degree, its after-effects can be repaired.
The long term aim is to provide funds for the prevention of this ghastly disease.
- Setting up information and education programmes to make parents aware of the signs of Noma
- Training health care workers to detect the disease and give emergency care
- Financing research into the causes and treatment of Noma
- Financing health services in treating victims locally
- Ensuring that the essential anti-septics, drugs and nutritional supplements are available.
Further information about NOMA and the work of Facing Africa is in the page about The sokoto Project.
Help Facing Africa Fight NOMA