A Hamilton mum who has two sons with a life-limiting condition has walked hundreds of miles to raise money for The Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Joanna Barrett has four young children, two of whom have the genetic condition that affects the lungs and digestive system.
Alongside her brothers John and Chris, she walked the 874 mile distance between Lands’ End and John O’Groats virtually - just in time for Wear Yellow Day on June 18; the UK’s national cystic fibrosis awareness day.
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the UK’s only national charity dedicated to supporting people with CF and their families. And Joanna’s fundraising is timely, after a year where charity funding has been hit hard by the pandemic.
She told Lanarkshire Live: "We divided the distance up between us so we're doing it like a virtual relay, but it's still been really hard to get out every day, especially with the infamous Scottish weather.
"Lockdown presented its own challenges: with balancing working from home and trying to home-school my four kids, I often couldn't be bothered pulling on my walking boots at the end of the day.
"But we've had tremendous support from our friends and family and that's provided great motivation.”
Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects 10,655 people in the UK and the number is growing every year.
It is a life shortening genetic condition that not only effects the lungs and digestive system but the whole body, making activities like walking, sleeping and even eating a daily challenge.
Joanna added: "My boys' specific genotype is associated with a milder form of the disease but it's still a constant feature of our daily lives.
"They take daily medication to try and keep infections at bay. The hardest part is the chest physio, making sure both of them do it twice daily.
"It can be a struggle to fit in four physio sessions, and it often requires significant cajoling, but it's so important to keep their lungs clear and healthy.
"We’re raising money for the Trust as they have been a massive source of information and support for our family; both in those early bewildering days after the boys’ diagnosis, and particularly over the last year with all the uncertainty and anxiety that COVID has brought.
"So, I wanted to give something back.”
Joanna will be finishing the final mile of the challenge in person on Wear Yellow Day before signing in for a well-earned rest at the famous John O’Groats guest house which happens to be run by her aunt.
Sandra Howarth from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said: "The theme for this year’s CF Week was ‘We Won’t Stop’, which reflects our total commitment to improving the lives of everyone with CF.
"We’ve been so inspired to see that many people, like Joanna, won’t stop fundraising to help us support people with CF across the UK and fund vital research."
You can donate and find more information on Cystic Fibrosis on the Trust website.
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