As some of you may know, my wonderful mum climbed Ben Nevis last year to raise funds for a charity very close to our hearts, The Haemochromatosis
Society.  This year (now that she has become a pro walker!) she has signed up to another (quite difficult) fundraising challenge, walking the route of Hadrian’s Wall over 5 days  (14^th -18^th August).

Now, hopefully not a repetitive story for some of you, but it is also an important one which explains our involvement to the Society.

Six years ago, when I was 20, I was diagnosed with Haemochromatosis (iron overload) and as time has gone on it is playing a bigger part in my life.

I was in my second year of University when I began fainting frequently, I had severe stomach pains, my hair was falling out and I was feeling constantly exhausted. Vague symptoms indicating lots of possible causes and most GP’s seeing these symptoms will not consider haemochromatosis, as many have little knowledge of the condition. Fortunately, my brilliant GP decided to test for the amount of iron stored in my blood – and it was way, way too high. Genetic tests showed I had GH (genetic haemochromatosis), which means I absorb too much iron from food, resulting in too much iron being stored in my blood, which the body does not cope with well.

My mum and dad are carriers, passing the condition onto me, and my brother Leslie is also a carrier. Not many people know about the condition even though one in 200 are carriers. Symptoms from the condition are as large and vast as they come, including chronic fatigue, stomach pains, heart problems, liver disorders, IBS, arthritis/joint pains, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer etc. I personally suffer from some of the above and since my mums climb last year, I have now developed arthritis in my neck, knees, hands and toes, showing that the symptoms of this condition keep developing.

Today I have four consultants who I see individually every few months to monitor my condition along with regular venesections where a pint of my blood at a time is removed. Being diagnosed at an early age with the condition makes the control I have over my health more bearable long term.  Thanks to the great support
and work the society is doing, I am apart of an amazing community who support and teach other tricks and ways of dealing with the condition.

I also have poor eyesight, last year I registered as Legally Partially Sighted and this year I got myself a lovely symbol white cane (currently hidden in my drawers and I’m pretending it is a light sabre..).  Although there is no proof (yet) that these conditions are linked, we think that one day they will find out that
they are.

So please, please donate if you can, no matter how small it means so much to us and the money couldn’t be going to a better place. The charity provides patient support and works hard to raise awareness amongst health professionals. Early diagnosis can ensure people do not suffer alone and they get the help and
support to manage their condition.

Can I also ask people to consider looking at the website to learn about this condition – you may help someone in the future!

Thank you again!

Mary, Katharine & Leslie