On September 10th 2022, I will be joining 2000 walkers and trek across the Capital over 16 historical bridges walking 25km in support of the Ichthyosis Support Group. Setting out from Putney Bridge ending at Tower Bridge.

The Ichthyosis Support Group helps families and individuals living with a form of ichthyosis, a rare genetic skin condition.

Ichthyosis, pronounced Ick-thee-o-sis (which comes from the Greek word meaning ‘fish’) describes a group of conditions in which the skin is dry and scaly. Lots of people have dry skin conditions (such as eczema or psoriasis) but they tend to be patchy and they come and go. By contrast, in ichthyosis the scaling is continuous and usually affects the whole body. There is no cure for ichthyosis at present, but it is possible to manage the symptoms. The main aim of treatment is to improve the condition of the skin (make it less dry and less scaly, for example) and to relieve discomfort. Ichthyosis in the severe forms can be life threatening, but even in the milder forms a strict daily skin care regime is needed and having a visible skin condition can prove psychologically challenging.

The Ichthyosis Support Group (ISG) needs to raise money to continue funding research into such this rare condition and to provide much needed support to those affected by ichthyosis through literature and educational conferences.

I would be very grateful if you would support my efforts by sponsoring my walk. Any contribution, however small, will mean a great deal to the charity and will help many Ichthyosis sufferers.

Mudassar Ulhaq