Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic

I really admire JK Rowling's writing. Her ability to create not only rich, complex characters, but the entire world of Harry Potter, is just amazing. 

But she's done something else truly amazing. In a post from September 3, 2010, I wrote about the research clinic she planned to open in honor of her mother who had Multiple Sclerosis. Set to open in 2012, the work has now started on building the clinic. According to The Press Association:
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has buried a time capsule to mark the start of building work on a research clinic for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
The clinic, at the University of Edinburgh, is to be set up following a £10 million donation from Ms. Rowling and will be named after her mother, Anne, who died of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when she was 45.
The buried capsule contains written accounts from patients living with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as contributions from clinicians, commenting on current treatments and their hopes for the future.
Ms. Rowling said: "I am both delighted and moved to be marking the start of the official building work for the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic. This time capsule captures how it is for people living with MS and other neurodegenerative diseases right now, and the current state of research. I believe that this clinic will have a huge positive effect on both of those areas in the future."
"All patients with these tough diseases need treatments that will slow, stop and ideally reverse damage. This clinic will pioneer a range of studies that over time will improve patients' lives through innovative clinical research."
With this kind of genuine compassion in the muggle world, one can see how her fictional characters seem so real.

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