Kate Green MP and Urmston resident raise awareness of of terminal disease

The MP for Stretford and Urmston jointly hosted the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association (PSPA’s) Ed’s Lace launch on March 24, and met Scott Smith from the charity’s Manchester group who came up with the awareness raising idea.

PSP is a progressive neurological condition which over time cause problems with swallowing, slurred speech, recurrent falls, irritability and apathy, slowness of response and severe difficulties walking.

The average life expectancy is around seven years from the onset of symptoms.

Ed’s Lace is a shoe lace in the PSPA’s corporate colour, but with one end cut to enable the lace to fray. The frayed end depicts the progressive nature of the disease. Welcoming guests to the event, Kate Green MP said: “We are really delighted to have Ed’s Lace to raise awareness and promote knowledge and understanding of PSP.”

Urmston resident Scott’s late grandfather Edmund Wibberley had PSP. Student Scott approached the association to see if he could offer his skills to help the charity as part of his Masters dissertation and produced two short films about PSP. He also realised there was a need for a tangible promotional tool which could be used to tell the PSP story.

Scott, aged 24, explained: “I was also frustrated that no one had ever heard of PSP and we were always having to tell people what it was. And then I just had the idea of the lace. I wanted something that was visual - that people could actually see - to try to explain what happens with PSP.”

Ed’s Lace will be the focus for this year’s PSP Awareness Week from April 18-26 .

PSPA will be selling Ed’s Laces around the UK and encouraging people to wear a lace in their running shoes, tied around their wrist, in their hair, on their belt - anywhere they can think of to show their support.

To find out more about the PSP Association and its Ed’s Lace campaign visit www.pspassociation.org.uk