Now 14,000 babies to be project limit (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Born in Bradford scheme extends target
12:00pm Monday 4th January 2010 in News By James Rush
Born In Bradford community research administrator Jo Stott with Adam Benjamin, of Odsal, one of the babies who has already joined the scheme Buy this photo »
A ground-breaking Bradford health research project which is the biggest of its kind in the world is set to continue past its original target.
The Born in Bradford scheme was started three years ago with the aim of tracking the lives of 10,000 babies from womb to adulthood in a bid to unravel a number of medical mysteries as to why some people fall ill, and others do not.
As the project stands on the verge of meeting this target, it has announced the recruitment drive is set to continue until 14,000 babies become part of the programme.
Dr Peter Dickson, medical director of NHS Bradford and Airedale, one of the partners of the project, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the success of the project to date and the desire by so many families to become involved and play a part in improving the health and well-being of the local community.
"We want to keep this momentum going.
"We are very grateful to the Bradford community for the support they have shown in the project to date and look forward to welcoming extra families to our cohort.
"Their involvement in our project in the months and years to follow will give the BiB team, and the wider medical world, a unique insight into the causes of illnesses such as asthma, eczema, and heart disease."
The programme, stewarded by the Bradford Institute of Health Research, based at Bradford Royal Infirmary, is set to reach its original target of recruiting 10,000 babies ahead of schedule.
This is partly due to the high take-up rate of families signing up to the project as well as a recent increase in the number of births in the BRI maternity unit.
Researchers will be recruiting until the end of 2010. Anyone having their baby at the BRI this year will be given the opportunity join the important health project.
The joint project is spearheaded by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Bradford and Airedale and the University of Bradford.
It is unprecedented in its scale and builds on the district's proven track record for healthcare.
