August 10th, 2019: On August 8th, Harry Styles’ mom, Mrs. Anne twist, posted on her Instagram account in support of the campaign #JeansForGenes. She posted two pictures of herself wearing this year #JeansForGenes t-shirt, which has a superhero theme and was designed in collaboration with Warner Bros UK and Kingston School of Art, and shared a link to the campaign website. Mrs. Twist has been passionate about this campaign and has shown public support for it in the past.
#JeansForGenes was launched in 1992 and this year it will take place between September 16th and 20th. The campaign encourages people to wear jeans during the third week of September and to make donations in support of the charity Genetic Disorders UK. #JeansForGenes suggests also setting up fundraisers in schools and at places of work and to show support for the campaign by wearing the #JeansForGenes t-shirt or a blue accessory if dress codes prevent people from actually wearing jeans.
Genetic Disorders UK is a charity which raises funds to support research into genetic disorders. Some of the funds raised by this charity go also to support the needs of children affected by genetic disorders and their families and are used for educational purposes to raise awareness of genetic disorders. Entities that work in these fields can apply for funds through the charity. A list of recipients for this year is available at this link.
In the UK, one of every 25 children is born with a genetic disorder. In total there are over 6,000 genetic disorders children can be born with. Of these the most common are cystic fibrosis, various types of myotonia congenita, sickle cell anemia, and fragile x syndrome. But many more and less understood genetic disorders are diagnosed in children every day. In some cases, the diagnosis can be made soon after birth, in other cases of rarer and less understood disorders, the diagnosis comes only after several years.
The video below, shared from #JeansForGenes youtube channel, shows Billy who is affected by Apert Syndrome. The campaign made it possible for Billy to receive special equipment that allowed him to go swimming with the family despite having a tube in his throat.
Thanks to the advancement of science, made possible through funds raised by Genetic Disorders UK, many of these genetic disorders can be treated and their symptoms alleviated. In some cases, the cure is even possible using genetic therapy, in which the defective gene is replaced by a normal one. This is the case for example of the X-linked severe combined immune deficiency X-SCID which is also referred to as ‘baby in the bubble’ syndrome. Indeed, ten children affected by ‘baby in the bubble’ syndrome were successfully cured using gene therapy at the Institute of Child Health at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
The t-shirt that Mrs. Anne Twist is sporting on her Instagram is available for purchase at the #JeansForGenes website together with other cool designs. To learn more about how you can support this campaign, head over to their website at this link.
A Charitable Direction 