Kilts Across America (plus some!)

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"two men, two bikes, twa' kilts"

http://www.kiltsacrossamerica.co.uk/

We are attempting to raise the full £200,000 required for research into the cause of Moebius Syndrome in one huge international event. This is not only going to raise the profile of Moebius worldwide, but the possible PR could be huge for any of the prospective sponsors involved.

Iain, the one on the right, and myself are members of the worlds largest referral organisation BNI, and with their help and support we are attempting to ride two Harleys across America in only ten days, just a mere 2913 miles. We wanted to take our trek to a far harder level, obviously being Scots, and we made the decision to wear our kilts for the whole of the journey. We will be travelling across desert and through the mountains, so the difference in temperature will certainly take their toll.

What is Moebius Syndrome?

Moebius Syndrome is a rare congenital disorder which sadly to date has no cure. We believe there are only around 200 cases in the UK, so not many people have heard of this condition.

The main features of Moebius are determined by the absence of the 6th and 7th cranial nerves, which control facial expression. These nerves allow us to blink and move the eyes laterally and give us the ability to smile.

Other nerves and muscles can also be affected by the condition, causing the following:-

• Difficulty in chewing and swallowing which lead to respiratory/dental complications
• Speech impediments/limited movement of the tongue (or deformity of the tongue)
• Cleft palate or high arched palate
• Drooling
• Hearing difficulties and sensitivity to loud noises
• Eye sensitivity (due to the inability to blink or squint)
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Missing limbs, fingers, toes or webbed fingers and/or toes
• Club feet or small limbs

The vast majority of Moebius cases are sporadic, however, there are reported cases of familial inheritance suggesting a possible genetic basis to this syndrome. There are also reports of patients with Moebius and an associated chromosomal defect indicating that several chromosomal regions may be harbouring a gene responsible for this condition.

 

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