Mark will make it a Day to remember at the Brighton Marathon
11 February 2010
Mark will make it a Day to remember on Sunday 18 April when he takes part in the first Brighton Marathon in aid of Deafness Research UK. Like thousands of other people throughout the country, Mark Day has suffered from severe tinnitus for many years and while he had not considered fundraising before, he made the decision that now would be the right time to complete the Brighton Marathon and help Deafness Research UK along the way.
“To be honest, running a Marathon was my primary motivation,” said Mark, 35, “but that said, I’m pretty passionate about deafness research, largely down to my own experience of tinnitus, so I’m happy to help Deafness Research UK in any way I can.”
A successful business owner and professional pianist and guitarist from Sharrow in Sheffield, Mark’s tinnitus was caused by loud music and he has for some time now wore custom moulded ‘musician’s earplugs’ to reduce the sound level in environments with a high noise level. “I would strongly recommend these earplugs for anyone who wants to reduce the noise level, but still hear the music accurately,” explained Mark, “my tinnitus is still bad, even wearing the earplugs. I try and relax and accept it, but like other tinnitus sufferers, I long for the day that medical research is able to reverse these symptoms.”
Sue Bowcock, Community and Events Officer for Deafness Research UK, said: “We are delighted so many people are taking part in the Brighton Marathon, while raising vital funds for hearing research. The funds that people like Mark raise will make a real difference to our ability to conduct further life changing research for children and adults across the UK.”
Mark is now in the process of setting up a web page on just giving to help with his fundraising activities and once complete, all Mark needs to focus on is his running skills.
“Completing a Marathon at all is a wonderful achievement, and one I have thought about for many years, so the time is not important. But if I can come in around four hours for the run I’ll be very pleased and anything I can raise for Deafness Research UK will be fantastic. They are a charity doing vital work to help me and so many others, so the more money I can raise the better.”
“Unlike some other charities, we do not demand a minimum sponsorship figure and we are not necessarily looking for experienced club runners,” continued Sue Bowcock, “This Marathon will take place in the beautiful and thankfully flat, seaside resort of Brighton. Deafness Research UK wishes Mark and all our other runners every success for their run and their fundraising activities in April.”
For further information, contact 0207 679 8965 or e-mail fundraising@deafnessresearch.org.uk
Notes to editors
About Deafness Research UK
- Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people.
- The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.
- The Deafness Research UK Information Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts. The Information Service can be contacted on Freephone 0808 808 2222
- For more information on research into deafness, tinnitus and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information. Alternatively you can e-mail Deafness Research UK at
- One in seven people in the UK – almost nine million people - suffer hearing loss.
- Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord (Jack) and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
In January 2008, Action for Tinnitus Research (ATR) was linked with Deafness Research UK under a uniting direction order under section 96(6) of the Charities Act 1993.
Scientific & medical advances
Since its creation in 1985, Deafness Research UK has awarded over £10 million in research grants to secure radical improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment.
The advances we have been responsible for include:
- the development of the Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) test to enable doctors to identify hearing impaired babies at birth.
- research into more effective cochlear implant devices and services, including assessment, fitting and rehabilitation procedures for children.
- improvements in signal processing for digital hearing aids in order to help improve speech discrimination and understanding, particularly in noisy environments
- the isolation of genes responsible for many forms of inherited deafness including the most important breakthrough – that mutations in the Connexin-26 gene cause a significant proportion of congenital and childhood deafness
- research into preventing or repairing inner ear damage, including funding researchers who were the first to report that hair cells in the mammalian balance system can regenerate
- the discovery that an overproduction of the neurotransmitter glutamate can be linked to tinnitus, a finding which could lead to new drug treatments for the condition.
Further Deafness Research UK achievements can be found at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk and following the ‘achievements’ button. A direct link follows here: http://www.deafnessresearch.org.uk/Scientific%20%26amp%3B%20medical%20advances+2213.twl
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