After what felt like a lifetime, mum was diagnosed with 'Granulomatosis with polyangiitis' (Formally Wegener's Granulomatosis), an extremely rare and life threatening auto immune disease that attacks the small and medium blood vessels in the body, including the sinuses, eyes, ears, joints, nerves, lungs, and kidneys. 

The consultant said that if it wasn't for his colleagues' pro-activeness in ordering an 'ANCA' blood test,  she would have been dead in 5 months.

There is still very little known about GPA, and there is no cure, only immunotherapy drugs that try to prevent further flare ups, but can cause nasty side effects and long term damage themselves.

She is currently undergoing chemotherapy, and is on a high dose of steroids and lots of different types of pain medication (33 tablets a day in total) to try and keep it at bay and prevent her from being in constant agony.

She has lost some of her hearing and has nerve damage to both feet which means that she can no longer drive, and finds it extremely difficult to walk even short distances. The disease has caused Raynaud's in her hands which means that she experiences constant cramping, nerve pain, and extreme coldness, making even the smallest of tasks extremely difficult to perform.

We are still trying to come to terms with the 'new normal'...or should I say, I am still coming to terms with it. Mum has already embraced it and just feels lucky to be alive, facing each new day with a positivity that I never felt possible. She is my hero.

I can't let mums disease be something that happened to her for nothing, So I mentioned to one of my best friends that I fancied climbing Mount Snowdon to raise money and awareness for GPA and other types of Vasculitis...Rachel quickly saw my Mount Snowdon idea, and raised it with the Three Peaks Challenge, and before I knew it, had all of our lovely friends signed up to it - all in a days work! Amazing!!

So on the 30th June 2019 we will be taking the challenge and climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon (all in 24 hours!), to raise money for Vasculitis UK - I am excited and scared in equal measures!!

The kindness that we have received in the last couple of months has been overwhelming, and I am grateful for everyone's continued support, so if you could help by donating a bit of change to this worthwhile cause, it would be hugely appreciated...and if you can't afford to donate, you can always help by sharing mums story on your social media to drum up some support and lots of donations that way! 

Thank you so much in advance...wish us luck!

Lots of love,

Aja, and the Rosy's Wegeners Warriors team!!