Ryan to ask for a meeting with Prime Minister

Ryan Mclaughlin of the Shine on Scotland campaign for vitamin D as a preventitive measure against MS will step up his campaigning this week for a meeting with the UK Prime Minister Mr Gordon Brown.

The bravehearted 14 year old tried to get sneaky meeting with him a few weeks back when he visited North Glasgow College to support Willie Bain but unfortunately there just wasn’t enough time but he was promised a meeting at a later date, although a little disappointed he knew that Mr Brown was a very busy man and was happy to get a promise of a meet at a later date.

Mrs Sarah Brown is a great supporter of MS and he hopes that Mr Brown will support him.

Ryan says ” this is so important to my cause if we can get the UK government support we may be able to move forward in the prevention of  MS through vitamin D supplementation,  there are loads of people from all over the UK wanting this now – I get emails almost every day from Mum’s wanting to protect their kids , it is so cheap to supply it so why delay it’s introduction – a clinical study would cost a 100 times more than just doing it now and would take years to show results  and we must protect kids from MS now.

He say’s the  Scottish Government have been amazing and so supportive and he hopes to open the eyes of the UK  Government in a similar fashion to the Scottish Government but said he has no plans to dress as William Wallace again on any visit and it will be kept very low key.

http://www.shineonscotland.org.uk/news/2009/11/ryan-mclaughlin-to-ask-for-a-meeting-with-the-prime-minister/

Miss Scotland ready to hit the heights

MISS Scotland Katharine Brown and DJ Suzie McGuire have signed up to join Celts ace Gary Caldwell in a Bighearted charity climb up Mount Kilimanjaro

The daring celebs have agreed to take part in the Comic Relief-style trek up the 19,340ft Tanzanian mountain next summer.

We told earlier this month how Hoops defender Gary volunteered for the adventure at our glitzy Bighearted Scotland Awards.

He was impressed with the plan to conquer Africa’s highest peak by award-winners Ryan McLaughlin, 14, and Allan Thomas, 41 – and now Kath and Suzie will join them too.

Kath, 22, from Dunblane, Perthshire, said: “I was thrilled to be asked and immediately said yes.
“I’ve always wanted to climb that mountain – I’m drawn to it.”

Clyde 1’s Suzie, 35, from Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, added: “I’m definitely up for it – but I am nervous.”
Gary, 27, said: “I’m really excited about Kilimanjaro. As long as the dates don’t clash with football commitments I’ll do it.

“There are a couple of others in the dressing room who want to climb it too.”

Aberdonian Allan, who won our Fundraiser of the Year, and Child of the Year Ryan, of Drumchapel, Glasgow, hope the trek will raise £100,000 for the six Bighearted Scotland charities, plus their own causes.

www.shineonscotland.org.uk

Created at a time when Scotland has the highest rates of ms in the world. Ryan McLaughlin age 14 talks openly about the disease that his mum is fighting and for the first time a chance that MS figures could be reduced in Scotland by introducing vitamin d for pregnant mums and all Scots children, now its Scotland's turn to change there own future, to stand up and fight for better health and say to the Scottish Government we've seen MS - NO Thank you.

It's time for the children of Scotland to shine!

Visit http://www.shineonscotland.org.uk/

The inspirational music is "Change" by Tracy Chapman from the album "Where You Live" 2005. Available on iTunes.

What would you do reduce ms in scotland ?

This is the question which Ryan McLaughlin, aged 14, from Glasgow, has an answer to. Watch the video to find out more, and please share this video on your Bebo, Facebook, MySpace pages. Help us protect future generations of Scots from Multiple Sclerosis by signing our e-petition and joining our walk to the Scottish parliament on Wednesday 17th June 2009 to hand the petition to our MSPs.


Ryan is aware of the effects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as it impacts on the lives of 10,500 people in Scotland and one of of those affected is his Mum. His experience of MS made him determined to find a way to help the thousands of people who are fighting this chronic progressive disease, an illness which has no cure, and to lessen the impact of MS on future generations. So what is his answer?
Campaign Goals

* Providing Vitamin D to all of Scotland’s children and pregnant mums
* Clarification on the recommended daily allowance
* To run a public awareness campaign inform the public about the benefits of Vitamin D in relation to MS

Scientists have now proven a link between MS and a lack of Vitamin D. People in Scotland are exposed to less sunshine, and it is the energy from the sun which triggers a chemical reaction in the body which leads to Vitamin D being produced. MS is rare in countries close to the equator which have a high amount of sunshine and becomes more common at distant latitudes. For example, in the US rates are lowest in Florida and rise towards Canada. At an MS conference in November 2008 scientists told the Scottish Government of the link and now it needs to act on this evidence.

That is why Ryan has started the Shine on Scotland campaign, as he believes that the government providing Vitamin D to children and pregnant mums is our chance to stop future generations from suffering the way his Mum does everyday. He’s doing it for your children and your grandchildren. Will you join him in his fight?

Ryan needs your support. Please sign his e-petition now. He is also looking for 500 kids and their parents to join him in walking the Royal Mile to the Parliament to hand over the petition.

This is our chance. Together we can change Scotland’s future through providing Vitamin D for all.