FASHION photographer Mark Sanders is aiming to put motor neurone disease firmly in the spotlight with a sale of images from 100 of the biggest names in photography including Rankin and Steve McCurry.
Mark, whose Mum, Lin, died from motor neurone disease (MND) earlier this year, has pledged to raise as much as possible on behalf of the MND Association which supports people living with the disease across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Inspired by the statistic 1 in 300 which illustrates an individual’s lifetime risk of developing MND, Mark has created MND300 – an online sale of prints which will run for 300 hours from 7pm on Wednesday, October 16. To complement the sale, which will also feature work from Jack Davison, Jem Southam and John Spinks, an exhibition of the prints will be held at JJ Locations in Shoreditch on the same day. The money raised will help to fund research into potential new treatments for MND – a disease which affects up to 5,000 people in the UK at any one time.
Mark explained: “MND really is a brutal disease as anyone who has witnessed it will know.
“Mum was diagnosed a couple of years ago with only a few symptoms. By the end of last year her condition was much worse and she died in April.
“I had the idea for MND300 during that time and shared it with her. She said I should do it, so she is very much at the heart of everything I am doing.”
With generous support from across the photography world, Mark has curated a sale featuring a broad range of styles, from landscape to still life and celebrity portraiture.
He said: “There’s something for everybody in there and the exhibition promises to be fantastic event, where people can really get up close to the images. I am so grateful to everyone for their incredible support.”
MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It can affect a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat and ultimately to breathe. A third of people die within a year of diagnosis and half within two years. There is currently no effective treatment and no cure.
The MND Association’s Regional Fundraiser – South East, Sarah Armstrong said the money raised from the sale would help to fund groundbreaking research into MND.
She said: “We are so grateful to Mark for everything he is doing to support the Association the work we do in memory of his wonderful mum, Lin.
“The money raised from MND300 will go directly into research where it will help to fund vital research into potential new treatments for MND.
“As the biggest charity funder of MND research in the UK every penny will be spent on helping us to get even closer to achieving our vision of a world free from MND.”
For more information about MND300 or to purchase prints from 7pm on October 16 visit www.300mnd.com. To book tickets for the event visit [email protected]