A big 'Thank You'

First of all, I'd like to say a big thank you for taking a look at my JustGiving page.

In less than 2 weeks time, I will be taking part in this years Great North Swim. At first this was to be a personal achievemnet but I decided to also raise money for an extremely good cause in the process.

Ashleigh and Alisha 

Ashleigh and Alisha as pictured, are two little girls I work with. They are both diagnosed with Late Infantile Batten Disease. Please watch the video on this page to see their heart-braking story. The video was produced by their mum in order to raise awareness as this disease is vaguely recognised and I'm sure to many of you unheard of.

What is Batten Disease?

Batten Disease is a group of rare, fatal, progressive neurodegenerative diseases that affect children and adults worldwide. There are four main types of Batten Disease:

Infantile- Onset between 6 months and 2 years. Death can occur     in mid childhood.  

Late Infantile (and variant late infantile)- Onset between 2 and 4 years. Death can occur between the ages of 5 and 15.

Juvenile- Onset between 5 and 9 years. Death can occur from the late teens to the mid 30's.

Adult- Onset normally before the age of 40. Shortened life expectancy.

The Symptoms

Symptoms of the disease include epilepsy, loss of vision and loss of abilities including walking, eating and talking.

ALL VARIATIONS OF BATTEN DISEASE ARE TERMINAL.

Please 'Dig Deep' for 'Battens Disease'

Tragically, there is no cure or treatment that makes a significant impact on the progressive decline in bodily functions and inevitable early death for children and adults with this disease.

I will be donating all money raised to the BDFA (Batten Disease Family Association) which relies upon fundraising efforts to maintain support resources and facilitate research.

Every donation helps the BDFA to pursue their aim of bringing light to Battens, in hope that one day soon a cure will be found.

Your contribution is vital to achieve such a goal so please dig deep and donate now- every penny counts and is truly appreciated!