A MOTHER and daughter are canoeing the length of the River Wye to raise money for a potential new vaccine.

15 year-old Brydie Stevenson and her mother Jan are raising money towards the cost of clinical trials for a possible new vaccine for Crohn’s disease – a debilitating form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease that is affecting increasing numbers of people, especially children.

Research into the vaccine has been going on for 35 years at King’s College London, based around isolating the elusive MAP bacteria which causes a similar bowel illness in cattle. Preliminary studies in animals have shown the developed vaccine to be safe and effective; but now trials in humans are needed to take the vaccine from lab to clinic. Brydie’s mum has suffered from Crohn’s for many years and Brydie has seen first-hand both how ill it can make people, and how even in remission there are still debilitating side effects that disrupt daily life.

Brydie and Jan set off at the end of July and are doing the trip in stages, working around weather, other holiday commitments and health. They started from Glasbury where the river is very shallow, canoeing down past Hay-on-Wye, through the centre of Hereford and Ross-on-Wye to Symonds Yat. They have had mixed weather so far, including torrential rain and strong headwinds as well as some glorious sunshine. Most amazing is the birdlife, from groups of goosanders, wrens, cormorants and the usual geese and swans, to the sparkling kingfishers that have been seen along most of the river.

They are hoping to complete the journey through Monmouth to finish at about 3pm in Brockweir on Sunday 23rd August and celebrate with a cup of tea at the Old Tintern Station!