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Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, also known as Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy.  Anyone who knows about CMT knows just how devastating it can be.  It may not be a death sentence, but it is a life sentence in that every single task and every single thing we do is affected by it.  This neurological muscle wasting disease causes muscle wastage in the lower legs/ feet and arms/ hands.  It causes poor co-ordination, loss of balance and strength in the arms and legs as well as reduced sensations.  

For young people who have the disease, it can feel very isolating and frightening as they are unsure what the future holds.  For young people, the diagnosis of CMT can affect their future career choices, hobbies, friendship groups, as well as their decisions about families and relationships etc.  Many are excluded from school activities such as school trips, holidays, and sports trips as well as being excluded from lessons if they are inaccessible.  

The CMT Kids weekends allow young people to experience exciting adventures such as climbing, caving, canoeing etc. within a safe environment, with people who all have CMT and understand the pain they are in and the struggles they are fighting with. Its an opportunity to meet others and discuss coping strategies as well as having a generally awesome time!  This year we are planning our biggest challenge yet!   A small group of us are going to Sydney Australia to meet with the CMT Australia kids and have a joint 'Down Under /Up Above '  week to show the Aussies how its done.  The Aussie CMT Team have held their own kids weekends now for a couple of years and are becoming well established with a core group of participants.  It would be wonderful to share intercontinentally and to make this a momentous event.  To share experiences, discuss educational, medical and cultural differences and obviously compare walks and orthotics!  But obviously this will require lots of planning and help from some 'walky people' , to take  a group of disabled kids to the other side of the world is no mean feat so we all need to pull together and ask for your help so we can achieve this.  Please Please Please dig deep and help us to raise the funds to have the opportunity of a lifetime for our CMT kids.  

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