Barefoot Soldier

I'm a dad to a little girl called Hasti. Hasti is eight and she dreams of being a chef or a dancer when she grows up, but she also has a rare genetic condition which currently has no treatment or cure! I am doing this challenges to raise the funds needed to create a gene therapy treatment to change her fate and to give her the future she deserves. 

In March 2020 I set up a charity, 'CdLS Hope for Hasti' (charity number 1188769). The aim of the charity is to fund the research and development of a ground breaking gene therapy treatment for children suffering from this terrible disease. We are running out of time to raise the money as mental decline will start at puberty, and that is not far away for Hasti. 

Last year I walked 700 miles BAREFOOT across the UK and raised  £500,000, however we need to raise at least £2.5 million to make this treatment a reality. 

From Tuesday 31st August, I'll be walking the 1200 miles from Maine to North Carolina in the USA. I'll be doing it while carrying 25kgs of kit on my back with everything I need to keep going, including my trusty one-man tent which I'll be sleeping in to keep costs down. I will be wearing full combat kit including a body armour which will be heavy and hot. I will however be missing one element of my clothing .... my boots! I will do the 1200 mile March BAREFOOT!

I know it's madness and, if I'm honest, I'm terrified of failing. It is going to be painful and I already have a knee injury, but I am a dad and I have to fight for my little girl Hasti and all the other forgotten children with rare disease. 

* 1 in 3 of all children with a rare disease never live to celebrate their fifth birthday

* 95% of all rare diseases have NO treatment ... none!

* 3.5 million people in the UK will be affected by a rare disease in their lifetime - 50% of them will be children.

* A person with a rare disease can expect to wait four years just to get a diagnosis (if they get one at all) and to be before that they can expect to be misdiagnosed three times. 

These sick children deserve more than this. Will you help me to change their future? 

Follow my journey on Instagram and Facebook @HopeforHasti.

Twitter @brannigan001