By Sarah Linney
If you saw some extremely large butterflies walking through Broadstairs last Sunday (25 May), then don’t worry, you haven’t had too many beers – the fancy-dressers were raising awareness for the Thyroid Trust.
People from across east Kent gathered at Viking Bay and Broadstairs Bandstand for the annual fun and fundraising event to mark World Thyroid Day, which raised £373 for the Trust.
The group stopped to chat with people as they walked around the town and offered information, books and merchandise, including kites and badges for children.
There was a mid-afternoon trip to the Havisham and Cratchit café at Bleak House, where butterfly cakes were on sale in aid of the Trust. The day finished with the Butterfly Ball at the bandstand – two hours of dancing to music from DJs Jonny Henfrey and Teresa Askew.
The thyroid is a gland in the neck which produces hormones which control your metabolism. Around five per cent of people have a thyroid disorder, which can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of them quite debilitating. These can include tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, feeling excessively cold or hot, hair loss, anxiety and or depression – even dementia like symptoms or psychosis in extreme cases.
A simple blood test can diagnose the problem, and treatment is usually straightforward, yet symptoms are often put down to other things, such as mental health conditions, diet or the menopause and access to specialist treatment, when it is needed, can sometimes be challenging. The Trust has campaigned very effectively for improved access to specialist treatment and clearer guidance for clinicians.
Lorraine Williams, the charity’s co-founder and editor of the Broadstairs Beacon, said: “Although we are raising awareness of a serious topic, it is always a really lovely day and huge fun.
“We have our regular fundraisers who come every year but new people also come along and I see people making friends, which is so great. Having a support network of people who can understand what you’re experiencing is really valuable.
“Quite a few children came to the ball in fancy dress and danced or played with the kites, which was brilliant.
“I’d like to thank everyone who came along, donated or supported us in any way, including the people at Havisham and Cratchit; Izzi from Plantlet, who donated butterfly plants; my neighbour Sarah, who donated the kites; and Teresa, who is a professional carnival artist and provided the incredible, giant, handmade colourful butterfly that we carried around as well as several sets of handmade wings with panels that shone like stained glass.”
This year the Thyroid Trust and researchers at the University of Aberdeen have launched a free toolkit for workplaces which they can use to support employees with thyroid conditions and raise awareness.
The toolkit is here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/24390/
For more information about the charity visit thyroidtrust.org or follow @thyroidtrust on Facebook or Instagram.
Donations can still be made on the fundraising page for yesterday’s event www.justgiving.com/page/world-thyroid-day-broadstairs
