Queensland Eye Institute (QEI) ophthalmologist Associate Professor Anthony Kwan is running in the Bridge to Brisbane to raise funds towards a new $150,000 electrodiagnostic machine.
The retinal specialist and his team (QEI Healthy Eyes) aim to generate $20,000 at this year’s event on 29 August by competing in either a 5km or 10km run. They have raised $6,875 so far, with Kwan currently third on the overall fundraising leaderboard for individuals.
The money will go towards the Queensland Eye Institute Foundation (QEIF)’s purchase of an additional electroretinogram (ERG) used to non-invasively diagnose eye conditions, particularly retinal or optic nerve disorders.
The current wait time at the QEI the electrodiagnostic unit is around two months, and an additional machine would halve that.
By participating in the run, the QEI team is hoping to increase the profile of its fundraising effort. It follows its Max Day campaign, which featured the plight of one-year-old Max Thomson who was diagnosed with Leber congenital amaruosis (LCA).
QEI CEO Professor Mark Radford said the response had been tremendous, with $70,000 raised towards the new ERG so far, including the funds raised for Kwan’s run.
“We are overwhelmed by the support received by Associate Professor Kwan and his team so far. This support will go a long way to making our goal a reality,” he said.
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