Wishart responds to Viking Genes event
Attending the Viking Genes event today (Wednesday 21st May) in Mareel, MSP Beatrice Wishart joined around 50 people, including the Shetland committee, for the launch of the project. Plans were unveiled for a genetic screening programme for Shetland by Professor Jim Flett Wilson and Chair of the committee Sandra Laurenson, with the aim of raising £1 million for a four-year Shetland Community Screening Project. It would be the first community genetic screening scheme in Scotland and aims to provide 5,000 Shetlanders with the opportunity to participate.
After attending the event Beatrice Wishart MSP commented:
“I am very encouraged by the aim of the project as we already know that there are genetic predispositions within the Shetland community.
“Screening will have long term value with future generations benefiting from preventative action and medicine.
“This wouldn’t be possible without the work of local volunteers and the commitment to improve lives and health outcomes.”
More about the project can be found online: https://viking.ed.ac.uk/screening-shetland