Can you Move 4 Mast Cell?
The MCAS community is coming together to take action! Together, we can fight mast cell disease. Plan your event for September 2022, Move 4 Mast Cell and join the fight today!
We are delighted to share this year's big fundraiser, Move 4 Mast Cell.
If it involves moving, then do it while Moving 4 Mast Cell! Have fun, collect some sponsor money and don't forget to take lots of photo's so we can see what you've been up to.
This year we want the MCAS community to come together - get behind Mast Cell Action and raise lots of money to help us support people affected by MCAS...don't forget to ask your friends and family to join in too!
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Sign up today to 'Move 4 Mast Cell' - run a marathon, do a skydive, take a coastal walk - or choose your own movement to help us fight MCAS. Get in touch to receive your free MCA t-shirt plus any other support you need to run your event!
MCAS can limit many things in life, but your love gives us all vital hope for a brighter tomorrow. Thank you for being there for our community.
Find out more and sign up here.
How can you help?
We want to help the MCAS community in so many ways; providing support for people affected by mast cell activation and their families, bringing the MCAS community together, working with the medical community to help ensure patients with MCAS receive the best care possible, promoting increased research into conditions related to mast cell activation, lobbying for universal awareness, diagnosis and treatment of MCAS and educating the wider community, helping to reduce stigma and improve lives for those living with MCAS.
But we need your help - we really can't do it without you! Every penny that you raise helps us to make a difference to the MCAS community. Please support us through a fundraiser or by making a donation. You can donate directly to Mast Cell Action here.
"On the 12th of June, I had the joy/pain of walking a marathon from Windsor to Teddington with my teaching colleagues & sister. Before I was diagnosed with MCAS in the summer of 2019 running a marathon had been on my bucket list. However, knowing that would never be possible due to my condition, as I improved, I so hoped that I would walk one. Mission completed. In addition to raising money for the charity our school supports one of the Mast cell action administrators suggested I use it as an opportunity to support Mast Cell Action. The charity has been my rock since I was diagnosed with MCAS. I am so glad I did. With the right medical support team & friends dreams do come true!" Nancy Vickers
Scott Fisher - 27 Marathons
MCA Supporter Scott Fisher undertook an incredible feat of running 27 marathons in 27 days!
Scott's Wife, Megan, lives with many debilitating symptoms caused by MCAS and Scott feels passionate about raising funds for Mast Cell Action to help support those living with MCAS.
The idea. 'Marathons for MAST Cell originally started when I was making up my wife’s medication for the week. As I put 175 tablets into boxes for a week, I thought. This isn’t good enough; someone needs to do something to help people who are going through this. I started researching challenges and the first one I stumbled across was Eddie Izzards 27 marathons for sports relief. “27 marathons; 27 tablets; we might have something here” I thought.'
Why do I want to support MCA? 'The MCA website and research papers have been pivotal in stopping the medical gaslighting and forcing professionals to listen to us.'
How do I feel about what Megan has been through? 'How does anyone feel when the one that you love becomes critically ill? You just feel thankful to have had what time you have had, the times to come and remain hopeful for a cure or medication that works.'
How do I feel about supporting someone with MCAS? 'Any illness gives you perspective; our lives have changed drastically. It is trying, exhausting, testing… the list goes on but it also makes some things momentous. A date night becomes an occasion not a routine, a cinema trip without a reaction becomes a win and you understand that in life it doesn’t matter where you are; it’s the people that matter and you do what you can. You make them hot water bottles at 2am, you carry them up the stairs when they can’t walk and you certainly don’t give up on them.'
"After childbirth, my wife developed sepsis in the uterus; doctor’s think this mutated a gene in my wife’s body, and it changed our life’s. The symptoms started mild - rashes, swelling etc. Due to MCAS spectrum of symptoms, every medical professional had a different opinion of what was going on.
It took about two years of elimination testing to reach a diagnosis and nearly three to start treatments. The last three years have been unpredictable, reactive and emotional.
Megan is on numerous treatment pathways but were yet to find one that works; the thing that helps the most are family.
Severe MCAS puts a new lens on everything that you do. We take each day at a time; we rarely plan but grasp opportunity as it comes.
MCA has provided direction to alternate specialists, provided resources and emotional support to my wife but also helped me on my fundraising journey by providing the framework and leg up to raise a large portion of money to help the cause".
You can see Scott's training programme and marathon journey on Instagram, here.
Check out Scott's Just Giving page and read his and Megan's story, here.
Follow Scott on Instagram or Twitter for updates.
Thank you Scott for supporting Mast Cell Action and helping us to raise vital funds and awareness. Megan and all the team here at Mast Cell Action are very proud of your efforts, especially when you crossed that 27th finish line. We can't thank you enough for all that you've done to help.
"It is honestly amazing what Scott is doing (on top of a taxing job both mentally and physically) I'm so proud of him. I could never have hoped for someone so supportive and willing to push themselves to the brink to raise awareness of such a little understood condition! I couldn't thank or love him any more for what he is doing for me, the MCAS Community and Mast Cell Action" Megan Fisher
Victoria Maley (Charlottes' Army) - Kiltwalks
Join Charlottes' Army on upcoming Kiltwalks here
What have you done/are you doing to raise funds for Mast Cell Action?
Kiltwalk in Dundee with Charlottes’ army – walking 6 miles. This falls on the back of other kiltwalks this year where Charlottes’ family and friends have walked 24 miles in Glasgow, 15 miles in Aberdeen, and plan 26 miles in Edinburgh.
How is the challenge going so far?
Despite a lack of training, the walking has been going well – the feet may tell another story! Some toenails are missing and blister had multiple blister at the end of the day – but all worth it!
How much are you hoping to raise?
To date we have raised over £1,000 this year so far.
Why did you choose Mast Cell Action? What impact has Mast Cell Action had for you?
Charlotte our 7 year old daughter suffers from this condition. It has been a steep learning curve in being diagnosed, recognised and management. Having a support group helps to ask questions but as a community we can help push forward with potential treatments and cures.
What did you enjoy most/are you enjoying about your fundraising experience?
Feeling that you can give back to people in the ultimate aim of trying to raise awareness and a find a cure. I would love to take away Charlottes’ troubles, as a parent that is all you want. However I can’t magic it away so instead choose to channel that into hopefully providing the group with much needed money to help.
Is there anything you would do differently next time?
More training – although have said that each year and never managed yet!
What would you say to other people considering doing a fundraiser for Mast Cell Action?
Do it – the sense of achievement and feeling like you contribute is so worth it.
What message would you like to share with the MCAS community?
We are all in this together – so donate, support, fundraise – it’s the only way to change things.
What message would you like to share with the wider community?
MCAS is an under recognised, under diagnosed and mismanaged condition affecting all aspects of Charlottes’ life. It’s something that needs more funding and research to help improve charlottes live along with many other sufferers.
Rachel Davies did a sponsored Tai Chi practice
Jennifer hiked the Green Chain Walk.
Chris, one of our Trustees, on a charity walk
A group of walkers tackle 5k for Mast Cell Action
Founding Trustee Gawain and family joining our annual event
Lily did 5000 bounces on her trampoline!!
Anna and Alfie made 500 cards
The Masons organised a sponsored cycle
Jackie completed a sky dive!
Piper and Rolo
Become a friend
Sign up to become a Friend of Mast Cell Action so we can keep you up to date on our progress and on how to get involved in our latest campaigns and initiatives. Please click on Data Protection at the bottom of the page to see our Data Protection Information.
Donate
Mast Cell Action relies entirely on the generosity of people like you. Please make a donation now and together we can make a difference for sufferers of MCAS.