10
NEWS
£100m historic pledge
to end T1
£100m pledge by the Bukhman Foundation to
transform Type 1 diabetes research and treatment.
The Bukhman Foundation
has announced a £100m
pledge over the next 10
years to advance research
and advocacy in Type 1 diabetes
(T1D), underscoring the Foundation's
dedication to improving the lives of
individuals and families affected by
T1D.
The pledge will go towards
supporting world-class
scientific research at a range of
organisations aimed at enhancing
the understanding of T1D and
accelerating the development of new
treatments globally and, ultimately,
finding a cure. By backing innovative
projects and fostering collaboration
among top researchers, the Bukhman
Foundation's aim is to spearhead
efforts to address the unmet needs
of millions of people living with T1D
worldwide.
The first two gifts from the pledge
will be allocated direct to Diabetes
UK and also the Breakthrough T1D
Barbara Dewey Cammett Center of
Excellence in New England, USA.
Anastasia and Igor Bukhman,
Co-Founders of the Bukhman
Foundation, and who have a daughter
who has the condition, said of the
considerable pledge, "At the Bukhman
Foundation, we know first-hand the
profound impact that Type 1 diabetes
has on individuals and families.
This pledge is deeply personal and
reflects our determination to inspire
hope and bring meaningful change
to families everywhere. By funding
innovative research and fostering
collaboration, we aim to supercharge
efforts to find new treatments and,
ultimately, a cure. We hope this
historic pledge will motivate others
to join us in creating a future where
Type 1 diabetes no longer defines or
limits lives."
Diabetes UK
The donation will go towards
funding cutting-edge research at
the University of Cambridge that will
explore how common viral infections
may trigger Type 1 diabetes in
genetically at-risk children. As part
of an international study tracking
children with a high genetic
predisposition to the condition,
this three-year project will examine
how children's immune systems
react at different stages of infection.
The aim is to provide the most
detailed insight yet into the immune
responses to viruses that may spark
autoimmunity in Type 1 diabetes and
help to uncover why only certain
children are affected, and hopefully
leading to the development of new
treatments to prevent the condition
in future generations.
"Igor and Anastasia Bukhman's
foresight and heartfelt commitment
to transforming the lives of people
with type 1 diabetes is truly
extraordinary. A pledge of this
magnitude brings us ever closer
to the day when type 1 diabetes
no longer means relentless, 24/7
self-management, along with the
constant threat of life-altering
complications."
Colette Marshall, CEO, Diabetes
UK said of the donation, "So much
of what we know today about the
causes and treatment of type 1
diabetes is thanks to research, and
it's research that will one day deliver
a cure. Thanks to the generosity of
Igor and Anastasia Bukhman - and
others like them whose philanthropy
is supporting research projects
across the UK and beyond - that day
will come even sooner."
In addition, Dr Elizabeth
Robertson, Director of Research and
Clinical, Diabetes UK said, "We are
thrilled by the Bukhman Foundation's
commitment to transforming the
lives of people affected by type 1
diabetes. We stand on the brink of
a new era in type 1 treatment, and
By funding
innovative
research and
fostering
collaboration,
we aim to
supercharge
efforts to find new
treatments and,
ultimately, a cure
- Anastasia and
Igor Bukhman