A 12-year-old boy has been hailed an inspiration for facing down a devastating condition without letting it hold him back.
Will Taylor has been battling the progressive muscle wasting disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy his entire life, and was diagnosed at the age of four.
Although the condition affects his mobility, Will's favourite sport is mountain biking and his dad, Sam Taylor, says it is impossible stopping him "doing what he wants to do".
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Sam, 42, told the ECHO: "He was diagnosed just before he was five. There was issues with his development but we really didn't expect it, it was a big shock.
"But we adapted to it pretty quickly and came around to working to see what we could do about it."
Sam and his wife Sue Taylor, 43, dedicated themselves to raising money for Duchenne research, and on Friday visited Alder Hey Children's Hospital as part of the Duchenne Research Relay, a three day cycle visiting major centres involved in the treatment of and research into the condition.
Sam said the return to Alder Hey was emotional, after surgeons there helped get Will back on his feet following risky surgery for a broken leg, which carries huge complexities for Duchenne patients.
He said: "Will broke his leg in a sledging accident, and it was so special seeing all the doctors who got him up and running again.
"It was pretty emotional."
The family, from Milnthorpe in Cumbria, have completed some extraordinary challenges to raise money for the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK), including cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2015 raising over £25,000.
In 2017, they rode, swam and ran from coast to coast, east to west across the UK, raising £57,000, and in 2019, they ran the ‘Longest, Steepest, Highest Quadrathlon,’ and donated £39,040 to MDUK.
The Duchenne Research Relay, to fund research into treatments and cures for the muscle-wasting condition, is the latest challenge by Sam and Sue, and 17 friends.
Sam said they have drawn their inspiration from Will.
He said: "Will has muscular dystrophy but if there's something he wants to do then there is nothing we can do to stop him, no matter how dangerous it is...
"We take our inspiration from Will; his condition means that he finds physical activities incredibly difficult, but he is always really determined to be part of whatever is going on.
"He will be on the support team for the Duchenne Research Relay, making sure everyone is on-track, well fed, and entertained.
"The research that is happening in the UK right now to find a treatment for Duchenne is at a critical stage, but it relies entirely on donations and fundraising.
"With this challenge, we want to raise awareness of the incredibly important work that is happening within the UK neuromuscular centres. The work that they are doing gives us, and other families living with Duchenne, real hope for the future.”
The relay involved stops in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, the MDUK Neuromuscular Centre at Oxford University on day one, then Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool and onto Preston for day two and finishing at the Centre for Life in Newcastle on day three.
Susanne Driffield, MDUK Regional Development Manager for the North of England and East Midlands said: “Sam’s challenges are not for the fainthearted.
"These are gruelling events which require immense planning and training. Their efforts are reflected in the unbelievable amount their supporters have donated to MDUK.
"All the money raised will go directly to the MDUK Duchenne Breakthrough Research Fund, which funds pioneering research into treatments and cures for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
"Please support Wills team as they take on this incredible challenge, and donate if you can.”
You can support the The Duchenne Research Rally here.
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