About BUS

About BUS

BUS is a charity and support group set up in 2009  by  two people with birdshot chorioretinopathy (birdshot uveitis) for people with birdshot chorioretinopathy.  It was founded because of these individuals’ personal experience. The initial objective was to raise the profile of the rare eye condition and help support people with birdshot (birdshotters).

Since that time, BUS has grown and developed.  The charity currently has three trustees and directors, as follows:

  • Annie Folkard – founding member with responsibility  for the website and support
  • John Hall – with responsibility for the annual fundraising shoot
  • Peter Edney – the BUS accountant

BUS has helped establish the National Birdshot Research Network.  The Network is an affiliation of interested uveitis clinicians and patients who are committed to developing a new national research strategy for this sight-threatening condition that affects an estimated 600 patients across the UK.

BUS also has a Standing Advisory Committee, which is a smaller group of uveitis experts and patients that provides professional advice and assistance to the charity.

BUS is also a partner charity with Fight for Sight in their Joint Small Grants initiative, raising money for birdshot research via activities like the Fight for Sight Carrots Nightwalk.

BUS has now established a core membership of over 1,000 including birdshotters, family and friends and professionals working in the field of birdshot.  BUS has strong links with sister birdshot organisations in the US.  BUS supports birdshotters across the world as well as in the UK.

Aims

The Birdshot Uveitis Society (BUS) achieved registered charity status in its own right in January 2012.  Prior to that it was part of the Scottish registered Uveitis Information Group (UIG).

BUS is supported by a consortium of leading ophthalmologists and professionals.

Our charitable objectives are to:

  • Promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of birdshot through the provision of support, education and practical advice
  • To advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to birdshot

We aim to do this by:

  • supporting patients with birdshot, particularly when first diagnosed
  • providing up-to-date information about the condition and treatment options to help empower patients and ensure they have access to the most appropriate treatment possible
  • holding a database of consultants and rheumatologists who have expertise and interest in birdshot and its treatment, so that patients can make informed choices about where to go for treatment
  • building better services for people with birdshot, including speedier diagnosis, a pathway into specialist treatment and treatment protocols that are standardised across the UK
  • raising the profile of birdshot to ensure it receives a fair share of health and social care resources
  • helping prevent avoidable loss of sight or vision through untreated or inappropriately treated birdshot
  • building a community of birdshot people around the UK
  • establishing the incidence and prevalence of birdshot. At the moment, birdshot is classed as a ‘rare’ or ‘orphan’ disease. Because of this, it is not readily understood or recognised and some people have difficulty in finding appropriate healthcare to prevent the loss of sight
  • promoting international links to research in other countries
  • promoting an international consortium of research into the condition to both better understand and treat birdshot and to use the learning to help treat or prevent other autoimmune diseases
  • fundraising in order to achieve our objectives

Register with BUS

Please become a member of the Birdshot Uveitis Society and if you have a birdshot diagnosis, join our database register.  It is free to join.  Joining will help us to raise the profile of birdshot and help us understand the incidence and prevalence of birdshot so that useful research for new treatments or prevention can be found.

You will automatically receive regular news updates but you are free to unsubscribe from this at any time.

Form to register with BUS

Thank you so much for your interest in Birdshot Uveitis Society.

Contact us

If you want to contact us, please use the contact form below or send a short email to our email address:  info @ birdshot . org. uk.  If you want a copy of the email sent to your inbox, please remember to tick the box.

Required fields are marked *.

Your information
Your message
Confirmation

Revised April 2023