I’ve decided to take the leap (a 15,000 ft leap) of faith and do a skydive in aid of the A-T Society, a charity extremely close to my heart. 

As some of you may know, my quick-witted, intelligent and unique younger brother Finn was diagnosed with Ataxia-Telangiectasia at just 18 months old. As we approach Finn’s 18th birthday, I’ve decided I want to fundraise for the Ataxia Telangiectasia society. 

🧬What is A-T?

A-T is a heartbreaking complex, rare, neurodegenerative and progressive condition which starts in early childhood causing severe physical disability and premature death. It affects many parts of the body which ultimately robs the child of their independence.

The three most obvious and serious ways it affects individuals are:

• Impairing the functioning of the cerebellum and other parts of the brain leading to increasing problems of coordination and movement. This results in wobbly/involuntary movements, affected speech, an impact on eating and drinking and difficulties controlling eye movements.
• Weakening the immune system, reducing the ability to fight off infections.
• Significantly raising the risk of cancers, particularly lymphoma and leukaemia.
  
  In Finn's case, Finn walked until he was 9 years of age and has been in a wheelchair with full time care ever since. For more information about A-T and how it affects people visit below: 
  https://www.atsociety.org.uk/about-a-t/how-does-a-t-affect-people/ 

Sadly, there are no silver-linings with A-T, there is no cure and it is a cruel, life limiting disease but yet we have been absolutely blessed with Finn; a boy that has never complained, has never said "why me?" and has never let A-T be an excuse to not be happy.  

🥼What the A-T Society do (and how your support can help) :

The A-T Society strive to find a cure or treatment for the disease whilst also providing support to families affected by the condition; by improving the quality and length of life through the specialist A-T clinics. The rare and specialist nature of the disease has resulted in a lack of widespread appeal and as a result they rely heavily on the generosity of its supporters. 

If you know Finn you know his spirit, his wit and his courage inspire all those around him. Finn gives us a reason to smile every single day with his squeeziest hugs, infectious laughter, extremely competitive nature and sometimes the odd sarcastic comment.. 

Any donation at all no matter how big or small is greatly appreciated, from pennies to pounds every little helps (sorry Tesco).

By donating to raise funds or sharing to raise awareness - you will make such a massive difference to the most deserving charity! 

Thanks so much,

Christie (and the McCann fam) xx