#HippiesUpSnowdon

Sponsored by Slumbersac, on June 16th 2018, 10 Hip Dysplasia sufferers will be overcoming physical odds to climb Mount Snowdon, Wales. Our 'Hippies' will climb the 3560ft to raise awareness for this condition. Highlighting their day to day difficulties & what it takes to achieve this feat.

Hip Dysplasia, or Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip/s (DDH), where the hip does not develop properly, causes pain & disability in sufferers of all ages, from babies to adults.

A misunderstood & under-publicised condition, many diagnosis' are missed at birth & a recent survey of adults, on the Living with Hip Dysplasia website, revealed 64% did not get a swift diagnosis, that a diagnosis took 5 - 10 years in some instances, giving reasons such as “lack of awareness amongst numerous health professionals I've seen”, that their “pain wasn’t taken seriously” & “doctors saying they couldn’t find anything wrong”.

The International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) released statistics, stating 20% of hip replacements in those under the age of 50 are due to Hip Dysplasia. The NHS also revealed that between 2005 - 2015, hip replacement operations had risen by 76% for those under the age of 60. Medical advances mean that younger ages are being considered for hip replacements. These figures alone point to what a dramatic affect DDH is having on individuals & our NHS. Hip replacements are a last resort & with quicker diagnosis, there are preservation procedures that may be undertaken to prolong the health of their own hip joints & further surgical intervention for many years.

We’re fundraising to start the first Adult Hip Dysplasia awareness campaign, to work with health professionals, bring awareness to all & put DDH on their radar. This will help reduce the time to diagnosis, which will mean more treatment options and a delay in the need for a hip replacement. 25% of monies fundraised will go to DDH_UK - currently the UK's only, solely DDH-dedicated, charitable trust.