I am lucky enough to be a Great Aunt and James a second cousin to a gorgeous little girl called Autumn who was diagnosed early in her 'growth' stage with Spina Bifida. This was naturally very worrying for Natalie and Andy, Autumn's parents, who then set out to find out everything they could about Spina Bifida so that they could support their little Jelly Bean, as she was called, throughout her development and right through her life.

The support Natalie, Andy and Autumn have had from Shine has been superb and helped them all through a steep learning curve. Autumn had foetal surgery whilst at 24 weeks development, a very new and exciting procedure that has increased her chances of living well with her condition - and Shine were there the whole way to support, encourage and inform.

James and I will be climbing Snowdon in the early hours of the morning of 19th May equipped with head torches, sturdy boots and a sense of determination, with the aim of reaching the summit by sunrise and surviving with our knees intact.

We'd be so grateful for any amount you can donate to support our quest as a huge thank you to Shine for all they have done for our wider family.

We will be joining both of Autumn's Grans and one grandad on our climb, so we'll have company along the way.

Some more information on what Shine does is below. Do look them up and read about the amazing work they do.

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Shine provides specialist support from before birth and throughout the life of anyone living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, as well as to parents, families, carers and professional care staff. Shine enables people to get the best out of life.

Everything we do is made possible by our generous supporters. Your fundraising efforts help individuals and families in your local communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every donation has the potential for profound impact.

THANK YOU for supporting Shine!