Cherries Help Build Beautiful Bones

While we all know that fresh fruit and vegetables make healthy people, cherries have never before played such a vital role in building strong beautiful bones in children.

At 8am on Wednesday 18th October the first box of cherries for the season will be auctioned at Sydney Markets to raise money for children with brittle bones being treated at The New Children's Hospital, Westmead.

Jessica was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta or brittle bones which was an incurable bone disorder. By the time she was seven years old she was disabled by bone pain and restricted to a wheelchair. Her bones broke easily and caused her a lot of pain. Jessica was trialed on a new therapy called Pamidronate®. Over two years, Jessica was given the therapy every three months. The improvement was dramatic. After six months Jessica was walking without support most of the time, and almost free of bone pain. After twelve months, she had discarded her wheelchair! Then at 10 and a half years old, Jessica took up karate, horse riding and motorbike riding. She has nearly completed treatment after five years.

Sydney Market Industries Committee hope that the cherry auction will raise over $30,000 which will allow further children with brittle bones to experience the benefits of the Pamidronate therapy for one year at The New Children's Hospital. This funding pays for the entire treatment program including pretreatment assessments, bone density measurements and medical monitoring to prevent side-effects.

Prof David Sillence, Clinical Genetics Department at The New Children's Hospital said, "We are currently treating 46 children with Pamidronate and would very much like to start four more children who need this therapy. Giving Pamidronate to children with brittle bones increases their bone density, decreases the risk of fractures, decreases bone pain, increases mobility and increases well being. In some children, after only 12 to 24 months of therapy, bone density has increased by 100%, and children previously in a wheelchair are now walking."

Prof Sillence said, "We are so grateful to Sydney Markets Industries Committee for choosing to support the Pamidronate program. We see first hand the difference that funding makes to these children. Without this support we would not be able to do the work we do. Thank you for caring for children with brittle bones."

Other items to be auctioned on the day will include a signed West-Tigers jersey, an autographed Parramatta jersey and football, an autographed State of Origin jersey, a Wallabies jersey, an Olympic Torch and a Strawberry iMac computer signed by six Manchester United players.

Where: Between Markets A & B, Sydney Markets

When: Wednesday 18th October, 2000

6.30am - sausage sizzle
7.20 - Paralympic Auction
7.30 - lead up auction
8.00am - Cherry Auction

Who: Celebrities (to be announced) will be joined by patients from The New Children's Hospital who have brittle bones.

For more information or interviews please contact:

Madeleine O'Rourke
The New Children's
Hospital, Westmead
Ph:(02) 9845 3580 or
via pager ph:(02) 9845 0000.

Steve Parrott
NSW Chamber of
Fruit and Vegetables
Ph: 0401 237 778.