As I suffer from mitochondria disease I am always conscious of my condition deteriorating. Mitochondria disease has left me visually impaired and a wheelchair user and also I don’t have much energy to spare most days. When I wrote my autobiography over lockdown I was going to include climbing a mountain as one of the things I wanted to achieve but I did not think it would be possible. The thing that I put in the place of climbing a mountain was abseiling. When I spoke to James Gilligan about the abseiling I then realised that he would be able to help me achieve climbing a mountain. I feel I need to do it this year due to my energy levels gradually decreasing over time because of the mitochondria disease. I want to raise awareness of mitochondria disease as it is not very well known and to raise much needed funds for the Lily Foundation which is one of the mitochondria charities.

The Lily Foundation was founded in Lily's memory, having lost her battle to Mitochondrial Disease at just eight months old. The charity aims to give hope, answers and support to the many other children and families that face the challenges of this disease today.

Did you know every twenty minutes a child is born who will develop Mitochondrial Disease by the age of 16! There is no cure for this disease which is for many, debilitating and life limiting.

Please stand with us and fight Mitochondrial Disease and fight for hope.