Hi There, 

I'm taking part in the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival 2016 and helping to raise much needed funds for charity.

This September, I’m going to be sweating it out and doing my best to complete a gruelling course over the Harbour Bridge, around Sydney's CBD and finishing at the Opera House steps... 

I'm running for my 3 year old son, Riley, who after a long series of chronic illnesses, hospital stays, testing & specialists over the last 12 months, was recently diagnosed with PFAPA Syndrome, which is a rare auto-inflammatory illness and type of periodic fever syndrome.

This often sees Riley unwell with 40+ degree fevers, sore throat, swollen neck glands, and pain in his abdomen, back and legs.  This usually happens every 2/3 weeks for 5-10 days at a time.  As this illness is rare, it does not attract a lot of funding and research.  As a result, it is a matter of trialing different medications to attempt to manage the condition and ease symptoms.

The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, currently have a team looking into the mechanisms of periodic fever syndromes  With greater research, and knowledge, comes hope for a greater understanding, earlier diagnosis and treatment options which will help kids for generations to come.  

Message from Dr Seth Masters & The Team at WEHI:

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute is the oldest medical research intitute in Australia.  Over the past 100 years, scientists have undertaken research into preventing and treating a range of diseases including cancers, immune disorders and infectious diseases.

Currently a team of researchers is doing groundbreaking researching into Periodic Fever Syndromes, which is a very complicated auto-inflammatory disease.  WEHI's researchers are looking for specific changes in the DNA that in some cases is responsible for the disease.  If they can find these changes, they are then able to research which therapies might work.  Recently they had success and identified an important DNA change that led to successful treatments for four families.

Now they need to conduct research to try and match particular DNA changes with particular types of viral infection, with the ultimate aim to develop drugs that will treat the disease.  This research is expensive and needs the critical support of donors like you to enable it to continue.

I am honoured to be a part of this amazing race and helping a great cause, and I’d really appreciate your support in this endeavour. 

Thank you for your support and helping to make a difference!

We're Running 4 Riley - Follow my progress on facebook.com/TwoBoysImages

- The Bowyer Family x