Huntington's Disease (HD) is a genetic degenerative neurological disorder of which our mum and uncle have, and which our siblings, our cousins and us have a 50% chance of having.

HD is a rare form of dementia and can affect personality and moods, cause difficulty in coordination, swallowing, speaking and breathing, affect concentration and memory, cause clumsiness and involuntary movements and more. It is simply devastating and watching someone you love go through it is indescribably painful.

HD can affect those who have it at any time but tends to be between the ages of 30 and 50. We are all around the 40 mark and I can only speak for myself when I say I am petrified of what may come.

After burying our heads in the sand and not allowing ourselves to think too much about the future of our families, we decided to try and be proactive and make an effort to help raise funds for the Huntington's Disease Association (HDA) who play such a vital role in not just research and the hope of discovering a cure, but in supporting all of the families effected by HD.

Therefore, Cliff and I have decided to do the National Three Peaks Challenge at the end of May and raise as many funds as possible for the HDA. For those who may not know what this is, it involves climbing the three tallest mountains in the UK, being Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, within 24 hours. This is a huge challenge, both mentally and physically (I've discovered I actually don't like heights), and having the support of as many people as possible would mean the world. We both started out pretty unfit and are currently in training. We have never climbed a mountain before, and have a lot of work to do to get the fitness needed to complete this challenge. But do it we will!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any support, be that a donation or a share, would be very welcome and incredibly gratefully received.

Charlotte and Cliff.

More about the HDA....

The Huntington's Disease Association supports anyone who is affected by Huntington's disease across England and Wales. We pursue the best possible care; provide training & advice to families and professionals; raise awareness, and promote research towards better treatment and care.