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John Greenwood's charity cycle ride

Alex Monroe, Lloyd Hutchinson and John Greenwood (from left to right)
Image Alex Monroe, Lloyd Hutchinson and John Greenwood

Along with two good buddies John Greenwood of the University College London is embarking on the Lands End to John O'Groats cycle ride (over 14 days from July 1st to 14th) to raise much needed research funds for Fight for Sight and to increase awareness of the magnitude of sight-threatening disease in the UK and beyond.

They have set ourselves a mammoth target (£50k) and are therefore asking all colleagues and friends whether they would be kind enough to sponsor their endeavour.

You can read more about the trip on the interactive web page or through the Fight for Sight web site.

Please follow the progress on the Eye Cycle web site where you can get involved.

A word from Professor Phil Luthert

Prof. Phil Luthert
Image Phil Luthert

Vision is a very precious gift and for many of us there is a risk that we take it for granted.  Those less fortunate know only too well how challenging life without good vision can be.

Fight for Sight has worked tirelessly for many years to raise funds for research into eye disease and they have contributed to many major initiatives that have fed through into real benefit for patients with or at risk of eye disease. We have been particularly fortunate at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology that Fight for Sight has been able to fund many research projects, pieces of equipment and critically, large parts of our building programme.

The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is a world-leading eye research centre with close links to the internationally renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital. Together, we publish more papers on vision and eye disease than any other equivalent centre in the world and we have been responsible for many breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of eye disease. Meeting the growing challenges of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, as well as the large number of inherited eye diseases that are currently untreatable is a formidable undertaking that can only be addressed through large-scale investment in research.

Funding for eye research is relatively low, given the importance of eye disease, and it is wonderful that Professor Greenwood and his friends and colleagues are embarking on this exciting venture both to raise funds for vision research and to increase awareness about the importance of eye disease. Everyone at the Institute wishes them all the very best on their journey.

Professor Phil Luthert
Director
UCL Institute of Ophthalmology