Ultramarathon man Jason takes on challenge to help find Crohn’s cure
FAMILY-MAN Jason Dobson from Kilchrenan is taking on an ultramarathon challenge to help find a cure for Crohn’s Disease.
Two of Mr Dobson’s family members have the condition, which is an aggressive type of inflammatory bowel disease.
The 24-year-old environment and fish health specialist, who works at a fish farm at Loch Etive, is out training five days a week, clocking up an average of 55 miles to get ready for Three Lochs Way Cross-Country Ultramarathon on April 7 which will take in a 34-mile route over Loch Lomond, Loch Long and Gareloch.
Every 30 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and more than 80 per cent of people who have it will need surgery at some point in their life.
Mr Dobson has set up a Justgiving page at justgiving.com/fundraising/jason-dobson-men9150 and hopes to raise £750 to help researchers at King’s College London development a vaccine for the disease from a bacteria found in cow’s milk. Work on the vaccine has taken 20 years so far and it has just passed the first phase of its development so it is now ready to move to the next stage which will involve treating Crohn’s sufferers, said Mr Dobson.
Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s Disease often include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever and weight loss.
Mr Dobson said he wants to see Crohn’s cured, not managed, and added: ‘I am raising money to help push the MAP vaccine through Phase 2 of trials in the hope that in the coming years it will be available for all Crohn’s sufferers.
‘The biggest impact Crohn’s has on me is that it makes me feel helpless because I cannot cure the two people in my family who have it. Taking on the ultramarathon challenge is my way of coping with that. At least I can try to help find a cure.’
He said: ‘The vaccine is now pretty much in its final stages and I think that in the next five years it could become commercially available.’
Mr Dobson’s bosses at fish farm company Dawnfresh have kickstarted his appeal with a £100 donation.
Farming director for Dawnfresh Alison Hutchins said: ‘When I first heard about Jason’s challenge, I have to admit I was more than a little impressed – in fact, most of the team at Loch Etive are impressed by his ambition. I know this is a cause close to Jason’s heart and at Dawnfresh we wanted to show our support by kickstarting his fundraising with a £100 donation. I hope to see Jason reach his £750 overall target and cross that finish line in April.’