Georgina Morton
Fireside chat
Georgina Morton
Founder & Chairperson, ArchAngel MLD Trust
Georgina Morton is the founder and Chairperson of ArchAngel MLD Trust. Having spent almost 20 years as a television producer, her life and career changed dramatically in 2013 when her daughter Ava was diagnosed with a rare lysosomal storage disorder, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD). When Ava was accepted onto a clinical trial of Gene Therapy for MLD in 2014, the experience led Georgina to form a charity, in order to support medical teams around the work working on treatments for MLD and to offer grants to affected families. ArchAngel is also currently spearheading a campaign to have all UK babies screened for MLD (and other rare diseases) at birth.
Who is your hero?
Dr. Alessandra Biffi. Her pioneering research into gene therapy for MLD has given many children a second chance of life, including my daughter.
Where is your favourite place in the world?
Milan, Italy. This is where we took part in a ground-breaking clinical trial and where we, and many other families, were given significant hope for the future.
What is your greatest achievement?
My children.
What is your wish for the future of rare disease?
Continued developments in transformative medicines and significant reduction in diagnostic journeys.