In May, our companions, staff, volunteers and trustees embarked on a 1,600-mile challenge to raise £5,000 for a dental fund for our current and future companions. Our team exceeded the distance, completing an impressive 2,310.75 miles!
Thanks to some very generous donors, we raised £1,610 which gives us enough funds to have a dental truck from Dentaid visit for one day. We would love to book it for another day to give all our companions the chance to be seen and have follow up appointments.
Can you help by donating?
By reaching our £5,000 dental fund target, we can ensure essential dental care for our companions. Francesca Blishen, our Support Manager, highlights the urgency of this issue:
“Being street homeless means no address and no dentist. Most of our current companions have no access to NHS dental treatment, and they urgently need it. Many are in pain and can do nothing about it other than go to the doctor or pharmacy for painkillers or antibiotics. We aim to drastically improve this through our dental fund and would be extremely grateful for any donations.”
Our companions are often forced to use antibiotics to manage infections from rotting teeth. The best option for many is to have otherwise healthy teeth pulled due to the lack of routine dental care, leaving some without teeth or dentures. This results in constant pain, with only temporary relief from painkillers or antibiotics.
Through the dental fund, we will pay for preventative treatments, such as oral cancer checks, hygiene appointments, x-rays, fillings, and extractions through a dental charity offering low-cost options. For those needing emergency treatment, the fund will be available immediately.
One of our companions, Kevin, will be helped through the fund:
“I’ve been laughed at for having no teeth, and that’s really hard for me. I’ve lost count over the past few years of how many NHS dentists I’ve tried to sign up with. I just can’t get in; they keep saying they can’t take anyone new on.”
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far. If you’re able to contribute, we still need your help to book another visit from the dental truck: www.justgiving.com/campaign/marathon-may-for-mouths
