MORE than £2,000 raised from a charity night will fund vital research into Hunter Syndrome.
Last week, friends Paul Butcher from Ashton Hayes and Luke Jones from Hargrave officially launched the Amaventure project, which will see them conquering one of the highest mountains in the Himalayas at the Climbing Hangar in Liverpool.
The month-long charity trek will raise money for The GEM Appeal, which funds research and treatment of incurable genetic diseases in children, in particular Luke’s eight-year-old godson Harry Hudson who has Hunter Syndrome.
The genetic condition affects the ability to break down sugars in the body, leaving the Mickle Trafford Primary School pupil suffering from impaired physical and mental development and facing the possibility he may not live beyond his teens.
But thanks to groundbreaking treatment from the GEM Appeal-funded Willink Unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where Harry regularly visits, he has been able to grow normally and develop like other eight-year-old boys by playing football, bike-riding and enjoying life to the full.
Hundreds of people attended the launch of Amaventure, held at one of the UK’s best indoor climbing facilities, and took part in different fundraising activities.
Luke, 41, who works for the University of Chester, said the night was a huge success.
“It was just brilliant to raise so much money but maybe more importantly we’ve had so many other offers of support.
“One girl in Paul’s class at Aldford Primary School came into school on Monday with £100 for him.
“She’d been at the launch night and had decided to put a cake sale on outside her house over the weekend – what a star!”
