My sister, Carole, was born with a hereditary condition called Myotonic Dystrophy. This is a type of muscular dystrophy that causes progressive muscle loss and weakness. The condition affects around 1 in 8,000 people and in mild cases, often goes undetected. Other manifestations include cataracts, intellectual disability and heart problems.

Carole’s strain was particularly aggressive. When she was young, she was able to walk, run, ride a bike, go horse riding and generally lead a normal life. Her series of slips, trips and falls and generally knowing ‘something was wrong’ lead to her diagnosis in the 1990’s. At this time, we realised that my mother and also my maternal grandmother also had the condition. When Carole passed away in January 2021, she was unable to walk.

In 2018, I was asked by a friend to participate in a challenge to ‘do something worthwhile and different’. We decided on The West Highland Way in Scotland, and as Jennifer didn’t favour a particular charity, I contacted MDUK and this is where my journey with them started.

Sadly, there is no cure for Muscular Dystrophy. This is my small contribution to help make a difference by fundraising towards the research to maybe one day find a cure, and development of equipment to assist people who live with the condition. They are making a difference today, providing vital information and support to help people live as independently as possible. They are making a difference for tomorrow, accelerating progress in research and driving the campaign for access to emerging treatments.