Sherlock The World Record

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Sherlock World Record for Brain Research

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Foundation is attempting to break the World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed up as Sherlock Holmes.

The challenge will be hosted at Temple Newsam, Leeds on 31 August 2014 to help raise funds for a new Yorkshire Brain Research Centre.

Clair Challenor-Chadwick, Appeal Director of the Yorkshire Brain Research Centre, said: “Sherlock may live at Baker Street, London, but according to the most influential fictional biography of Holmes by Baring-Gould, Holmes was born in Yorkshire, the youngest of three sons of Siger Holmes and Violet Sherrinford. We wanted to reclaim him for Yorkshire, and he is the perfect inspiration for our Appeal as the world’s brainiest detective. We’re hoping to tap into the cultural zeitgeist and popularity of Sherlock thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman with the BBC series.”

The problem
Currently 1 in 6 adults suffer from diseases of the brain and there is an expectation that with an ageing population brain conditions will be a ticking time bomb.

Professor Selby who helped write the case for the new Yorkshire Brain Research Centre said, “As the population gets older, there will be a significant increase in brain conditions in Yorkshire in the near future. To have a centre of excellence for brain research at Leeds means that patients do not have to travel out of the County. The Centre will conduct research for patient benefit and will help Yorkshire scientists find new treatments and drug therapies as well as conduct clinical trials.”

In Yorkshire the number of people over 65 is due to increase by almost half in the next 20 years to close to 1.3 million with the number over 85 rising 90% to 220,000 (Future Years the Yorkshire and Humber regional forum on ageing).

The opportunity
This is an exciting time for brain research with many new discoveries in treatments for neurological conditions. The Yorkshire Brain Research Centre will help attract the very best clinicians from around the world to train and study at Leeds and grow a strong neurosciences community for the benefit of patients in Yorkshire and beyond

The Yorkshire Brain Research Centre will mean we will have better diagnosis, better treatment and better outcomes for patients in Yorkshire.

University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise showed the University of Leeds to be the UK’s eighth biggest research powerhouse and the University’s vision is to secure a place among the world’s leading universities by 2015.

The Yorkshire Brain Research Centre will conduct research initially in the following areas:

Epilepsy
Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurological conditions. 7 out of 10 patients control the condition with drugs. We want to provide clinical trials on new drug therapies, surgical improvements and personalised medicine. In Leeds alone 5,000 people suffer from epilepsy, the national average is 2,000 (Hospital Episode Statistics) so we have a bigger demand for services in Yorkshire. Dr Melissa Macguire, Consultant Neurologist

Parkinson’s
80% of Parkinson’s patients will develop dementia in later stages of the illness, but it is often difficult to predict when it is going to develop. We want to do research to help predict the onset of dementia and start treatment earlier. We also want to improve diagnosis, as Parkinson’s is not easy to diagnose. I.e. there are no blood or ECG equivalent tests. We want to develop a diagnostic tool and test, so patients receive treatment sooner. 127,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s; by 2030 there will be a 20% increase in cases. Dr Jane Alty Consultant Neurologist

MS

We don’t know what causes MS. In Leeds 800 people live with MS and their symptoms could vary and occur at different times. MS symptoms can present in a patient’s late 20’s and early 30’s, a peak time for careers and family life. We want to take treatment for MS in a new direction. The earlier you start treating people the less nerve damage, but sometimes MS takes years to diagnose and we want our research to help improve earlier diagnosis.”Dr Helen Ford Consultant Neurologist

Dementia
In Yorkshire 58,000 people live with dementia, in England 670,000 have the condition. These figures are set to double over the next three decades. Dementia is the government’s number 1 priority. It is the last frontier in medical research. Thankfully, we are all living longer and surviving cancer and heart conditions. This means there will be an older population in the future living with Dementia, it is expected in the next 20 years as many as 1 in 3 over 65 may succumb to the condition. We all know someone with dementia and we need to raise money to deal with a tsunami of dementia cases that we are expecting in the future.
It’s hoped Sherlockians will be inspired and take part in the giant fundraising extravaganza to create the £2m brain research centre, a partnership between Leeds University, which has one of Europe’s biggest research facilities in Europe and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Research will initially be carried out in existing labs.

Registration is £15 and in return participants will receive a Deerstalker hat, a pipe and a magnifying glass, which will be given out on the day of the event. Prizes will be given for the best dressed Sherlock. Sherlock fans can enter a raffle for £5 to win signed goodies from the cast of Sherlock, including Benedict Cumberbatch signed photographs, Sherlock script and books. 100% of proceeds will go to the Yorkshire Brain Research Centre.
Clair added: “We are calling on collective brain power to help raise funds for this important cause! If you love Sherlock you will love this family fun event, expect special guests and some great entertainment.”

Register at www.sherlockworldrecord.com

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