The LifeCycle Malta Foundation has made its annual donation to the University of Malta’s Research Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT) in support of kidney disease research. This year’s contribution of €25,000, raised through the 2024 LifeCycle Challenge, brings the Foundation's total donations to the RIDT to €295,000 since 2014.
The funds were presented by Alan Curry, founder and Chairman of LifeCycle Malta, to Prof. Alfred J. Vella, Rector of the University. Also attending the event were Prof. Simon Fabri, Pro-Rector for Research; Mr Wilfred Kenely, CEO of the RIDT; Dr Christian Zammit, Head of the Department of Anatomy, along with the researchers leading the study.
The 2024 funding will primarily support research on the genetics of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common inherited kidney disorder in Malta. Led by Prof. Edith Said and Prof. Emanuel Farrugia, this research has identified critical genetic markers that can enhance early diagnosis and risk assessment of kidney disease, offering the potential to revolutionize local medical practices through a genetic diagnostic profile tailored to the Maltese population.
Since its first donation of €70,000 in 2014, LifeCycle Malta has been a key supporter of the Kidney Research Program. The program has led to significant advancements, including the creation of a kidney disease biobank and essential studies on congenital kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy.
The LifeCycle Challenge, the Foundation’s primary fundraising event, successfully covered 2,000 kilometers in 2024, cycling from Botswana to the Cape of Good Hope under the theme "Journey of Good Hope." In 2025, the team will cycle from Petra to Jeddah, traveling through Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Since its founding in 1999, the LifeCycle Malta Foundation has raised almost €4 million. In addition to funding research, the Foundation supports vital services for kidney disease patients, such as the TRACCIA Software Support System for matching kidney donors and recipients, new dialysis couches, a patient transport van, an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes for kidney patients, and the RUSH Initiative – a comprehensive support network for renal patients in Malta.
