Friendship spurs fundraising challenge

A friendship spanning 30 years is the motivation behind a charity trek by a Castle Douglas woman and her two friends hoping to raise money for a national charity.

Mary Neil from Castle Douglas, Fiona Bell from Newcastle and Jean Parnaby from Durham will be taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge. They hope to raise £6,000 for the PSP Association by climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon – over three days.

The idea came from Mary, who does something every year to raise money for a different charity. This year she chose the PSP Association after hearing of Fiona’s friend John Mooney who has had PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) for the past 11 years.

Mary said: “Fiona has been friends with John and his wife Jean for more than 30 years and when I heard about John’s condition I really wanted to do something to help.

“John was such a fit and healthy man who was always ready to help others. The whole family has been affected by PSP. Raising awareness and funds for research is so important for an illness that currently has no cure.”

PSP is a degenerative brain disease which affects eye movement, balance, mobility, speech and swallowing. Over time it can rob people of the ability to walk, talk, feed themselves or communicate effectively, though they usually remain mentally alert. The average life expectancy is seven years.

The PSP Association provides advice and support to people living with PSP and their family, friends and carers, and raises funds for research into the disease. It is holding a PSP Awareness Week from April 22nd to 29th to raise awareness of the condition nationally and to launch a campaign to raise £1 million for research into the disease.

Mary, Fiona and Jean (Parnaby) will be doing the Three Peaks Challenge from 17th – 20th May to support the charity.

To sponsor the trio on their Three Peaks Challenge visit www.justgiving/teams/prettyskimpypants.

To help us raise awareness of PSP, please share our infographic by clicking here.

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