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Dear friends, Chloe, Tom, Ben and Matt are attempting to walk 97 miles of harsh mountainous terrain in the West Highlands from Milngavie (just outside Glasgow) to the foot of Ben Nevis (in Fort William) in 5 days to raise money for an incredibly worthwhile charity. And if that isn’t enough to justify you chucking a few quid our way, we promise to walk an entire leg of our journey in full Chemistry lab attire. Every cause is a good one but this one is in desperate need of your support and could really make a difference to an individual’s life. A Jersey charity has been set up to raise money for research into a fatal brain disease. Hope for John has been set up by the family of 21 year-old John Sharp who was diagnosed with Lafora disease on 16th May 2008, the most severe and degenerative form of epilepsy affecting young people. This vicious brain disorder is characterized by involuntary muscle jerking and twitching that affects the entire body, recurrent seizures and a decline in intellectual function. The signs and symptoms of the disorder manifest themselves in previously healthy individuals in late childhood or adolescence and worsen with time. Affected individuals also experience occipital seizures, which can cause temporary blindness and visual hallucinations. Over time, the seizures worsen and become more difficult to treat.  As the condition progresses, a continued loss of intellectual function (dementia) impairs memory, judgment, and thought. Affected people lose the ability to walk and eat and perform the activities of daily living by their early twenties, and they ultimately require constant care. The ordeal continues for patient and family worsening only till death before aged 25. The researchers are in a race against time to find a cure for this disease. Because the disease is so rare, they currently receive no government funding. However, they believe that a cure can be found if they have the money available. Researchers for Lafora disease are currently focused on development treatment protocols and studies and funds are urgently needed to support these efforts. John’s mother, Alice Morgan still has hope that a cure can be found before it is too late. So please help give this tragic story a happy ending by donating whatever you can. Thank You   ps. Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate.

Chloe, Tom, Ben and Matt Take on the West Highlands

Chloe, Tom, Ben and Matt Take on the West Highlands

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