Couple take on peaks for boy with rare condition
Georgia BristowA couple will climb the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales to raise funds for a five-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition.
Georgia and Liam Bristow, both 33, will start by climbing Snowdon in north Wales on 5 July before climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland and the Lake District's Scafell Pike in August.
The pair, from Loose, in Kent, say this will help their friends adapt their home for their five-year-old son Sid, who has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
Georgia Bristow said: "The climb will be a challenge but Sid faces similar challenges every day."
She said they were "an outdoorsy family" but had "never done anything like this before".
Sid was diagnosed with the rare condition as a baby and has undergone gene therapy treatment.
SMA causes muscle weakness and gets worse over time without treatment, according to the NHS.
The condition came to greater public attention after former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson announced that her daughters had the condition.
Sid's mum says he now needs home adaptations including a through-floor lift and accessible bedroom and bathroom.
"He's a big boy for his age, and that combined with low muscle tone means that carrying him around the house has become dangerous, particularly going up and down stairs," his mother Sophie said.
The family was quoted £120,000 for the building work and £18,000 for the lift itself, according to the 37-year-old.
'Hugely grateful'
"We do our best but it's becoming more and more of a struggle for me and his dad Aden - we have both slipped discs in our backs and Aden is awaiting an MRI," Sophie said.
"We are hoping people will get behind us with this, our largest fundraising challenge and, as ever, are hugely grateful for every penny donated.
"We are so grateful to Georgia and Liam for taking on this challenge for us."
Sid's family are supported by healthcare fundraising support charity Tree of Hope.
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