A Ramsbottom woman who has multiple sclerosis (MS) is embarking on a sponsored walk to raise awareness of challenges faced by those with the condition.
Rebecca Hall will walk at least a mile every day to raise money for MS UK, a charity which supports people living with the autoimmune condition, which affects around 130,000 people in the UK.
The 40-year-old is fundraising as part of the charity’s Big Purple Dog Walk 2023 along with her two westies Skye and Willow.
On April 15, Rebecca will join friends on a sponsored trek up the highest mountain in England and Wales, Mount Snowdon.
She said: “I’m doing as many miles as I possibly can, I’m aiming for a mile a day but I’ve done a lot more than that.
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“I’m doing this as I have MS and I want to help people who are in a worse position than me, I have a lot of friends with MS.”
MS, which can affect the brain and spinal cord, can cause a number of different symptoms for those who live with it, including fatigue, numbness, and insomnia which makes the walk a big challenge for Rebecca.
While completing the walk, she also hopes to raise awareness of the condition, which she feels many people don’t understand.
“I’d love to get it more known,” she said.
“It is not very well known, a lot of us get accused of being drunk.
“Each time it’s something different, everybody is completely different.
“Even for me it is very difficult to understand, some people just don’t have a clue.”
When she was first diagnosed with MS in 2016, Rebecca admits even she had not heard of the condition.
She added: “At that time I had no idea what MS was, it took two years to be diagnosed after living with it.”
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So far, Rebecca has raised almost all of her £600 target and has been supported by generous businesses including Hills Pet Shop, The Two Tubs pub and The Halfway House Café, which are all keeping fundraising buckets for customers to donate to.
While it can sometimes be hard for those with disabilities to find support and community, Rebecca says the twice weekly walks run by Walking Side by Side, a group run by two ex-servicemen hoping to help people improve their mental health, get fit and make friends, have helped her immensely.
She said: “They’ve been really good for me as I don’t want to walk alone, they’ve been really great, you feel safe with them.”
If you'd like to donate to Rebecca's fundraiser, visit her JustGiving Page.
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