Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT) is a genetic disease which causes severe disability in children and leads to premature death for those diagnosed with the condition. Children born with the AT gene appear healthy until they are around 2- 3. Soon their balance starts to fail, they become wobbly and need assistance to walk. By the age of 10 many are wheelchair users and by the time they are 12 years old they may need help to eat and their health and immunity are deteriorating. Children and young adults with AT are particularly prone to developing leukemia and other cancers. It is quite unusual for a person with classic AT to live beyond 26 years of age.

The AT Society is based in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, the only organisation in the UK providing comprehensive information and support to people living with AT and their families, as well as working actively to improve services and to support and fund medical research with the aim of finding a cure for the condition.

Currently 1 in 300 people unknowingly carry the AT gene. The impact of AT on individuals and families is devastating.