Jeans for Genes is celebrating it’s 25^th anniversary on Friday, August 3, and continues its long history of raising awareness and providing funds for the Children’s Medical Research Institute to help find cures for children’s genetic diseases.

The theme for this years campaign is “Fight for Me, Fight with Me”, which focuses on children living with genetic disease, how their illness impacts their everyday life and how they fight through it with resilience and strength. The focus is about getting back to basics which involves funding research and finding cures for kids living with genetic diseases.

As part of this years celebrations, organisers have put the call out to every Australian to donate just $1 which would see $25 million raised. This would allow the creation of a centre of collaboration that will change the face of children’s genetic diseases forever, by establishing five new research programs.

Funds are raised each year through donations and the sales of merchandise. In a further boost to raise funds, this year there is a wider range of merchandise including a retro yo-yo, headphones and a special 25^th Anniversary badge.

Jeans for Genes will be highlighting just a few examples of the many genetic diseases affecting children, such as cancer, autism and cystic fibrosis in 2018. Currently 1 in 20 children face a birth defect or genetic disease across Australia.

One child who knows knows all about genetic disease is Linke, one of the stars of this year’s Jeans for Genes campaign. When the friendly, five year old found out she was going to star in the advertisement for the 25th Anniversary of Jeans for Genes, she thought it was the greatest day of her life, “Getting to talk and be on TV was my favourite part,’’ she giggled.

Linke’s family were living in South Africa when she got a cold, then pneumonia, before being diagnosed with leukaemia. After six months of treatment,doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do.

Linke’s mum Rene said that the family contacted doctors all over the world and found one in Sydney that could help. One month later, Linke was in remission, “All it took was three weeks on the right treatment. I truly believe research is the reason why Linke is still with us today,” she said.

It this kind of research that has saved many lives and will continue saving lives and making a difference into the future. So break out the denim this Friday, August 3, and support the 2018 Jeans for Genes Day. For more information visit www.jeansforgenes.org.au.