GRAYS will once again remember a much-loved young woman tomorrow (Saturday, 7 September) when the borough-based AOFAC (Anthonia Oyindamola Folakemi Afelumo Coshare) Foundation hosts its annual awareness event in the High Street. It will be preceeded by an annual fundraising walk through the street of Grays.

The Foundation was set up following the death in 2012 of Anthonia Oyindamola Folakemi Afelumo Coshare, a gifted young Grays student.

Anthonia was a vibrant 18 year old whowas academically gifted and having just received outstanding results at her 'A' levels was on the verge of going to university when she died after contracting Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) – a very rare blood condition.

Anthonia wanted to get into healthcare and to specialise in TTP to help others; her mother, Fola, wanted to continue her fight against this condition and keep her memories alive so formed the Foundation in her name in 2013 to promote awareness and fundraise to help research into it.

Anthonia's life is celebrated annually with a sponsored walk, wheel and run event. Participants will gather tomorrow morning outside Grays Baptist Church on Orsett Road (RM17 5HH). The route will conclude in the High Street around 11am and will be followed by the awareness event.

Similar walks will take place around the world, as the foundation's message has spread. There will be a walk starting from Greenwich Overground Station in London and events across several cities in America and Nigeria and in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Check out the Foundation's Facebook page.

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