In 2004 my father died after 40 happy years of marriage. My mother (Heather) has had lots to cope with and many adjustments to make. She decided she wanted to give something back to a world that had given her so much.

Mum had for many years supported the Leprosy Mission in its work around the world. Until last year that meant regular donations, as well as using their Christmas cards. Last year she volunteered to go to work in their field missions. Taking up this generous offer, the Leprosy Mission sent her to Nepal - where she spent five months of last year and will do the same again this year.

Leprosy is an entirely treatable disease. There is no scientific reason why it should not be eradicated, and it does not now exist in most parts of the world. There are, however, pockets of leprosy still found in parts of Africa and Asia. If caught early, its treatment is relatively straightforward, providing there is money to pay for the drugs. Left to develop, however, the effect upon the sufferer can be devastating. It is still a disease with biblical symptoms; blindness and deformed hands and feet.

Nepal is one country where the disease is still a real problem. The social stigma associated with the disease causes sufferers to try to hide their condition. Added to which, the inaccessibility of much of the population, makes their treatment even more difficult.

The Leprosy Mission runs a hospital in the hills outside Kathmandu. But much of its most important work is done in field clinics run in remote areas of the country's mountains (see photograph opposite). Where drugs come too late to treat a patient, surgery is required to tackle the effects. For all those who suffer, longer term physiotherapy is required to return them to a normal life in which they can work and earn a living. 

My mother decided to use her 40 years experience as a physiotherapist to help treat those afflicted. Despite being 68 and without a word of Nepalese, she set off alone to Nepal. For five months, she did what she could to help the patients of the mission (see photograph opposite).

This year she will go back for another 5 month stint (the longest period she is allowed a visa for). But before her work starts, she and I will be doing a trek in the Annapurna range, to raise funds for the Mission. I can't tell you how tough it will be, but I can tell you that I hope I will still be taking on this kind of challenge when I'm 69.

If you feel you could spur us on, and give something to help people with a real struggle in life, we would both be very grateful.

Stuart (and Heather)