Crookston family zipslide the Clyde to raise awareness and funds for rare condition

“I was 13 when I was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2i,” said Sophie. “Since then, I’ve been dedicated to raising funds to make a meaningful impact on the lives of everyone living with a muscle wasting condition.”

Sophie took part in the Glasgow Kiltwalk for Muscular Dystrophy UK in 2018 and family members have continued to do challenges on her behalf over the years.

For Zipslide the Clyde next month, Sophie will be joined by her mum Gail, dad Stuart, sister Hollie and Uncle Gary, as well as family friend Stewart Davis, and three close friends, Heather Neill, Vic Sutherland and Morgan Fehlberg. As a team, they have already exceeded their original £2,000 fundraising target and hope to raise as much as possible for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

“It’s not just about the money, I also want to increase awareness,” explains Sophie. “Living with a rare condition comes with its challenges and one of those is that most people don’t understand it as it’s still not a widely known disease. My family and friends only know about muscular dystrophy because of my diagnosis, so I want to try to change that.

“My condition means that I walk and run slower than everyone else and struggle with going up and down stairs. Everyday simple things like rising from a seated position and picking things up from the floor are difficult. It’s an unrelenting disease that gets progressively worse.

"By fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK, I know that I’m doing something to help so that the charity can continue supporting those living with muscle wasting conditions as well as funding research into treatments and hopefully a cure.

“I decided to do Zipslide the Clyde as it’s a challenge I can do with friends and family. It’s something a bit different and means I can get more people involved. I’m sure we’ll all be nervous on the day when we’re 100ft up in the air over the River Clyde, but everyone seems happy with the idea of the challenge. Some are afraid of heights, but I’m sure they’ll be fine on the day!”

Explaining the importance of fundraising like Sophie’s, Jodie Whitham, Regional Development Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK said: “We’re so grateful to Sophie and her family and friends for choosing to support us and taking on Zipslide the Clyde – raising money and helping to increase awareness.

"Thanks to fundraising like this, we can continue to improve understanding of muscle wasting conditions, provide advice and support to those who need it, and help accelerate new treatments.”

Follow Sophie and her team’s fundraising journey at justgiving.com/team/teamsophmd

Find out about other upcoming events and challenges at musculardystrophyuk.org/get-involved/events.

Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK at www.musculardystrophyuk.org