An award-winning photographer has scaled Scafell Pike six times in 24 hours in a bid to give a seriously ill baby a chance of a longer life.
Joe Giddens, 33, attempted the epic challenge on the 3,209 ft (978m) Scafell Pike to help seven-month-old Marley Powell, who has a rare genetic disorder.
Mr Giddens spent most of Saturday and the early hours of Sunday morning tackling the mountain in dreadful conditions, mostly in the dark.
Although he set a target of nine ascents, after six ascents, numerous falls and with parts of his body failing, he decided to stop after more than 21 hours for safety reasons.
Mr Giddens said: “That’s without the doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“In a few days I’ll have recovered.
“Knowing this challenge was making a difference to Marley and giving Rosie and Wes real hope kept me going.”
Marley has the rare genetic disorder Type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and 95 per cent of babies with SMA do not live past 18 months without effective treatment.
He is currently receiving the relatively new Nusinersen treatment, also called Spinraza, which finishes in six months’ time and there are no more UK treatment options if he has not improved by then.
So, his parents are pinning their hopes on the vastly expensive US gene therapy drug Zolgensma, or AVXS-101, which is described as “the most expensive drug in the world” due to its 2.1 million dollar (£1.6 million) price tag.
Details of the challenge, Marley and how to donate can be found at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/marleysmountainmission
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