ACT helps children with rare genetic disorder

22 October 2008

ACT has awarded a grant of £976 to help children with severe obesity caused by a rare genetic disorder called congenital leptin deficiency. ACT awarded the grant for the purchase of specialist wheelchairs and pushchairs needed to transport children (who come from around the world) to Addenbrooke’s for their treatment.

Leptin is a hormone that controls emotional attachment to food. Those who lack the chemical find less appetising food, such as broccoli, as appealing as chocolate. Therefore they over-eat even when they are not hungry. A research team at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, headed by Dr Sadaf Farooqi, Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Fellow, was the first to identify this condition in 1997 and Addenbrooke’s is one of the few centres in the world where children can be treated with leptin injections. 

Dr Sadaf Farooqi said: “We are grateful to the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust for financial support to enable us to transport children for their treatment.

“We are delighted that the treatment is progressing very smoothly and that patients have received considerable benefit, in fact their weight has been normalised.  As part of our ongoing research into the genes that contribute to obesity, we are also investigating many other children with genetic disorders who will also benefit from the purchase of this equipment.”