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Pictured at the MTU were Charlie Cooke , Vivienne Dineen and Mark McLarnon who partook in the Rare Disease Ireland #RaiseAToastie campaign to support and raise awareness of the 300,000 people living in Ireland with a Rare Disease on International Rare Disease Day. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD
BA Food Business Innovation students at the MTU Kerry Campus partook in the Rare Disease Ireland #RaiseAToastie campaign to support and raise awareness of the 300,000 people living in Ireland with a Rare Disease on International Rare Disease Day.
For the annual awareness campaign Rare Disease Ireland encouraged people across Ireland to support in two fun ways – #RaiseAToastie & #LightUp4RD.
Students created low protein ‘toasties’ in recognition of people with rare conditions who adhere to a strict low protein dietary therapy (“diet for life”) from birth whereby 85% normal foods are not permitted to prevent devastating health consequences. These conditions include PKU, HCU, MSUD, GA1 and Tyrosinemia.
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Bernadette Gilroy, a lecturer at MTU who is also the Chairperson of the PKU Association and a member of the National Rare Disease Taskforce said; “A sincere thank you to the staff and students for raising awareness of restricted low protein dietary therapy. Lack of awareness amongst the food and restaurant industry directly affects a person’s ability to adhere to dietary therapy to help manage their condition as well as having an impact on their mental health and quality of life. The community often encounter difficulties eating out and raising awareness particularly amongst the food industry has been highlighted as a priority by our members”.
MTU Kerry campus also supported the #LightUp4RD, by illuminating the North Campus, acknowledging their support for students and staff who are affected by a rare disease as well as the community members who they engage with in research and teaching.
